Change
by bnr848
Summary: Life has a way of happening. Just when you think your dance is perfect, life changes the music. Katherine Becketts music was about to change. Change was in the air for everyone.


Change By: Dupin848

 **Disclaimer: The publicly recognized characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plots are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

 **Thank you for reading. Know I greatly appreciate your support.**

 **If you enjoyed my first story, you'll know I'm relatively new to fanfiction. I started this one back in July, finished it in early August, but it felt incomplete. But here it is, warts and all. I think the epilogue solved that issue.**

 **Please forgive any grammar errors, it's very difficult, if not impossible to edit your own stuff. So my apologies on that front. I hope you enjoy.**

 **All the restaurants and venues mentioned are real. The song are chosen for both their melody and lyrics.**

 **On a serious note, the murder is based on fact. The names were changed and some liberties were taken in order to have it fit the story.**

Chapter 1

She was happy. Settled in a job she enjoyed, married to a man she loved. The job fulfilled her, the man adored her. He made her laugh and filled her life with wonderment. Katherine Beckett Castle was a fortunate woman and she thanked her lucky stars every day.

He'd be away for two weeks, a book tour that could no longer be postponed. In the last two years since they had married, the book tours had been cut back. Two and three week tours were a thing of the past, as Castle refused to be away from home longer than a few days. But this tour had come at the perfect time, she needed time, time to think; time to decide.

She'd gone through some tough years; times when she questioned life, purpose, existence, and faith. Her mother's murder had changed the course of her life. For years she had made poor decisions and regretted none of them. She isolated herself, not letting anyone in. Her life was lived in the moment; after all planning for a _happily ever after_ that didn't exist only led to heartache. Work was her addiction, her lover and her life. The ever changing cycles of life were phases she let pass; Katherine Beckett simply existed; until Richard Castle.

Providence, kismet, chance, call it what you may, they were destined to be. Whatever monsters had been fought, whatever obstacles had been overcome; the years of struggle had not been easy. She blamed herself for wasted years. Years she would not allow herself to be happy, years she had doubted his love for her, years she was afraid to love him back. But Richard Castle was nothing if not persistent, he had refused to give up on her; he'd come close, but the pull was too strong.

She had loved him and she had hurt him. She would never forget the day his words hit her with a boldness and force unlike ever before. Yet, she had sent him away, the hate and revenge in her heart stronger than her love for him. Even now, after so many years she could still feel his words resonate all the way to her soul. On nights when he wasn't home and she reached for him and all she found was cold emptiness his words echoed, the unshed tears in his eyes haunted her.

" _Because of everything we've been through together! Four years I've been right here. Four years just waiting for you to just open your eyes — to see that I'm right here. That I'm more than a partner. Every morning I bring you a cup of coffee just so I can see a smile on your face because I think you are the most…remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating person I've ever met. And I love you Kate and if that means anything to you. If you care about me at all just don't do this."_ She would spend the rest of her life showing him she knew he was more than a partner.

They had forged a life together. The detective and her plucky side kick where now the Captain and her consultant husband. He still pushed her buttons, she still drove him crazy. Life was good; but change was inevitable.

CHAPTER 2

He was happy. Writing like never before, married to the woman he loved. She filled his life with mystery and his heart with joy. Richard Castle was a fortunate man, and he thanked his lucky stars every day.

He'd be away for two weeks, a book tour that could not be postponed. He hated to be away from her, two weeks seemed like a lifetime. But this would be the last one. He had just renegotiated his contract with Black Pawn and book tours longer than three days without his wife were a thing of the past. No Kate, no tour; no clause, no contract.

He'd gone through some rough years, times when he'd question many things. A hopeless romantic, love had deceived him; a first marriage that ended in betrayal, a second marriage that was not much more than a business arrangement. For years he'd lived his story rather than his life; Richard Castle the reckless playboy. One night stands, and drunken escapades. Truth be told Richard Castle was really Richard Alexander Rogers, a comic-book loving, laser tag playing nerd that loved his mother and adored his little girl. The Page Six Richard Castle was a fraud who simply existed; until Katherine Beckett.

Destiny wrapped in murder, pushed along by a bibliophile detective, had brought them together. It had started out as a chase, a fling, another conquest; but she was no one night stand. The boredom in his writing, the mundane sameness to his days had ended the day he met Katherine Beckett. She challenged him. He'd chased and followed, fought her resistance and persisted. So many opportunities wasted, moments squandered, signals missed; but Richard Castle had waged a battle for Katherine Beckett's heart and won.

He'd been cocky and smug, flippant and careless. Katherine Beckett's introduction to Richard Castle had only confirmed the stereotype. He'd play the role of immature smartass to her laser-focused hard-ass detective in order to pursue her. Then in a moment of uncensored glibness, he'd exposed her hidden wounds.

 _"Well, you're not bridge and tunnel, no trace of the boroughs when you talk. So that means Manhattan that means money. You went to college, probably a pretty good one. You had options. Yeah, you had lots of options, better option, more socially acceptable options. And you still chose this. That tells me something happened. Not to you. No, you're wounded but you're not that wounded. It was somebody you cared about. It was someone you loved. And you probably could've lived with that, but the person responsible was never caught. And that, Detective Beckett, is why you're here."_ His words reflected in her face, the pain in her eyes visible to the world. How he wished every day to have that moment back, to take the hurt away.

They had forged a life together. They had gone from writer and muse to partners, lovers, and now husband and wife. He had conquered her heart.

CHAPTER 3

He was sitting on the couch looking like a wounded puppy, and she had had enough. "Castle, you need to pack, stop acting like a baby and man up! You have to go, it's only two weeks and I'll meet you in New Orleans in ten days. As Kate walked by him he grabbed her arm, pulling her onto his lap. "I don't wanna go. I'll miss you," he whined. She laughed and kissed his lips adding, "I'll miss you too. Now come on, let's get you packed."

The empty suitcase sat on the bed as Castle continued to procrastinate. He pulled open several dresser drawers and tossed a stack of tee shirts, boxers and socks into the suitcase. Kate proceeded to pull out several of the items he had carelessly tossed into the suitcase and admonished him. "Babe, you need to pack more than Star Trek and Lone Vengeance tee shirts." Kate walked into their closet and returned with several shirts. "I had these cleaned and pressed for you. You have four button-down shirts and you can use the hotel laundry service as you go along. Where's your garment bag?" Castle walked into the closet, returning with two suits, several dress shirts, ties and his tux. "Okay, but I'm still taking my tee shirts," he grumbled. Kate walked towards him, wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up to plant a kiss on his lips. Castle dropped everything he was holding, grabbed his wife and kissed her back; packing could wait.

"You know, packing a carry-on should not take two hours," she said with a giggle, as she turned to kiss him. "Well, we were very thorough," he added, as he made an attempt to keep her on the bed. "Where are you going? Come back," Castle protested. "I'm going to shower, then make sure you packed enough underwear and socks; remember we're going to dinner. So, get moving writer-boy." "It's Writer-man! And I believe I just proved that!" he yelled after her. He could hear her sweet laughter as she turned on the shower; he loved to hear her laugh.

Castle was driving her mad. She was tempted to put on her headphones and drown him out. He had been at it since he realized this book signing tour was happening, and with twenty-four hours before his flight he was not giving up. "I still don't understand why you can't come with me. It's only two weeks and you have more than enough vacation time. There should be some benefits to being Captain." For three weeks, he'd been a broken record, asking, cajoling, offering bribes, doing anything possible to get her to come along, but the answer had always been the same, "I just can't go now."

She had made reservations at ABC Kitchen for six o'clock. Alexis and Benjamin would be meeting them there. They'd have a drink and then a nice dinner. They would catch up on Ben's new job with the U.S. Department of Justice for the Southern District of New York and the dauntless search for a new apartment closer to Columbia. Castle was to be on his best behavior, "Castle, I'm warning you, no brooding, and no interrogation about wedding dates. Are we understood? Alexis was very upset last time you accosted Ben about that. She's made it very clear it is she who has not set the date, so leave the poor man alone."

The cab pulled up to the restaurant at a quarter to six. Castle had promised to behave and Kate had hoped to relax. Alexis and Ben joined them a few minutes later. The evening was just getting started.

Benjamin was happy to talk about his new position as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He had been recruited after a year as a staff attorney for the NYPD Legal Bureau, a job he suspected was offered after a strong recommendation from Captain Beckett. He had proposed to Alexis soon after, and to his delight, she had accepted. She had moved into his Bronx apartment, item by item, four months later; although she still refused to admit they lived together. His closet however, begged to differ.

Kate and Rick always enjoyed their time with Alexis and Benjamin. The conversations were always quick witted and smart, offering Kate and Alexis an opportunity to gang up on the men. Alexis had turned out to be quite a woman; now in her second year of law school at Columbia, still driven, but also in love with a guy that seemed to adore her. Truth be told, Kate missed Alexis. With Martha in her own place and Alexis at Ben's ninety percent of the time, the loft felt a little empty.

"So dad, where exactly is Paula shipping you off to?" asked Alexis. Castle's pout was very noticeable. Kate interceded. "He fly's to Dallas tomorrow at noon; he has a formal charity event at Southern Methodist University at six. Paula wanted him flying out earlier but the big baby would rather rush. He's got Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, then he's off to New Orleans for three days." Kate swatted Castle with her napkin, as Alexis laughed. "I remember when you enjoyed these boob signing events," cracked Alexis. Castle gave his daughter a death stare, as both Kate and Benjamin laughed. "BOOK signing! I will have you know, I have not signed a single body part in over six years," rebuffed Castle. Kate turned, gently kissing him on the lips. "What was that for?" he inquired. "For controlling the sharpie," she giggled.

They opted to share two pizzas, enjoyed easy conversation, and a nice bottle of wine. As always, no Castle meal was ever complete without dessert. Kate had surrendered to the fact (with great enthusiasm) that being a Castle demanded a serious adoration of all things sweet. As the waiter approached, Castle stated, "My man, no need to ask about dessert, I will have the sundae with salted caramel ice cream, and candied peanuts and popcorn, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, and the amateurs here will have the chocolate cake with malted chocolate ganache, and toasted marshmallow icing; we'll need four spoons. And please, tell them not to skimp on the whipped cream."

As always, dessert turned into a battle of spoons between Castle and Alexis. Benjamin and Kate would always be outsiders when it came to the connection between father and daughter; and neither seemed to mind. Ben made a futile attempt at paying the bill, with Castle advising him he could pay for dinner when he was named Attorney General. This was an ongoing battle, which for now, Alexis had convinced Benjamin to stop fighting. Alexis would have to talk to her father again. As they bid good night, Castle turned to Benjamin and said, "You take care of the women folk while I'm gone." Kate and Alexis simultaneously hit Castle on a shoulder, as Ben laughed and added "I'm not so sure these _women folk_ need protecting, but I will keep my eyes on them."

Alexis and Kate made plans for brunch and some girl time on Saturday. They always enjoyed shopping or simply walking through the small shops in Tribeca. Although Kate liked her alone time, she would never admit she really hated to be in the loft by herself.

Alexis and Ben took a cab back to the Bronx. Kate and Castle decided to walk a bit; it was still early and they enjoyed the sounds of the city. Before they realized it, they had walked to Union Square. They opted to skip the cab and hopped on the subway. They were at the loft by ten thirty, early by any standard; but Castle wickedly thought he could come up with something to do. They arrived home and indeed found wicked and wonderful things to do.

Castle had made no secret how much he would miss her. Now, that for all intents and purposes, they lived alone, their love making was a bit more spontaneous and the locations somewhat more adventurous; they had started in the living-room, barely making it through the front door, and later continued in the bedroom. She had finally fallen asleep around two in the morning; both of them happy, content and exhausted. The next morning, Kate remained in bed, reminiscing. In order to see Castle off, she'd be going in late.

The next morning, Kate remained in bed, reminiscing. In order to see Castle off, she'd be going in late. It was eight when she looked over at the clock, and the towncar would be there by ten, she needed to get Castle up and moving. "Rick, babe," she called to him as she gingerly shook his shoulder. Castle moaned and turned over. Kate pulled the blanket off him, saying in full voice, "Castle, get up, you have to get ready. Now get out of bed, I'm starting the shower, come on." Kate walked into the bathroom, turned on the shower and waited. A few minutes later, a grumbling and yawning Castle joined her. She had set it colder than usual and it had gotten the desired results, Castle yelped and fully opened his eyes. "Well, good morning sunshine," she sarcastically chimed. She reached up and kissed him, as she stepped out of the shower and added, "Now hurry up." Castle grabbed her before she could make a clean exit and kissed her hard and fast. "No monkey business, we don't have time; now move it," Kate whispered. "There's always time for monkey business," laughed Castle.

Thirty-five minutes later, a cocky Castle mocked, "I told you there was always time for monkey business." He was putting on his shoes, but when Kate walked past him, he grabbed her hand and added, "Thanks for seeing me off." "Always," replied a smiling Kate.

At ten on the dot, the doorman called; the car was waiting. Castle grabbed his bags, walked to the door, kissed his wife, adding, "See you in ten day?" "Kate kissed him, repeating, "Ten days."

CHAPTER 4

By ten forty-five that morning, Kate was at the precinct, sitting at her desk reviewing reports. Ryan and Esposito were following up leads on their current homicide, and the bullpen was empty. She was in full captain mode as she walked into the breakroom. The precinct had not changed much since that first day she had walked in; a dozen years and it still looked the same. She vividly recalled her nerves amidst the excitement of being a new detective. Not only was she a female, but she was a twenty-three year old, snot-nose greenhorn. Her welcoming was cold and gruff until Captain Roy Montgomery took her under his wing. Before long, she'd earned his respect as well as that of her fellow detectives. She volunteered for every dirty detail, never missed an opportunity to gain experience and simply worked her ass off. Soon enough, the vacant slot in homicide became hers; and there Katherine Beckett found her stride.

Roy Montgomery had trained and mentored her. Regardless of his involvement with her mother's killers, Kate loved Roy Montgomery. She had forgiven him that night, when he had taken a stand, and gave his life in an attempt to make amends. She had never forgotten the man nor his words, _"We speak for the dead. That's the job. We are all they've got once the wicked rob them of their voice. We owe them that. But we don't owe them our lives."_ It was that last sentence that haunted her thoughts lately.

She returned to her office to read the days emails, finally reaching the one she was waiting for. By three o'clock Ryan and Esposito returned to the precinct. Esposito walked into Beckett's office to update her on the case. As the senior homicide detective, Esposito had been lead since Beckett's promotion. Javier Esposito was a born leader, a bit rough around the edges, but a take- charge kind of man. He got things done, and the squad's clearance rate had not suffered upon Beckett's promotion. Having been made detective first grade, he was currently the highest ranked detective in the squad.

Ryan and Esposito were a winning combination, and they had long ago gone from partners to best-friends. They complemented each other and each had a unique skillset that worked phenomenally well at solving homicides. As Esposito was leaving the Captain's office, Kate called out, "I have a message for Ryan, and it's from One PP. I think he'll want to hear it." Esposito nodded, indicating he knew what the vague message was about. He turned and said "I'll have him come see you."

A few minutes later Ryan walked into Beckett's office. "You wanted to see me Captain?" "Have a seat." Ryan took a seat, not sure what this was all about. "It appears, congratulations are in order, Sergeant." Ryan rose, as Kate walked around her desk to hug her friend. Detective Ryan might be her subordinate, but Kevin Ryan was her friend. "I can't believe it, I'm getting promoted?" he asked, completely surprised. "It appears so. You scored very well on your sergeant's test, I just got the email this afternoon. It will be made official at the end of the month, but it's already approved." Ryan hugged Kate once again, now giddy with anticipation. "You know, this most likely means a transfer. Assignments have not been posted, but you better prepare yourself," added Kate. Ryan looked at Kate and said, "I know, Jenny and I discussed it before I took the test. We're ready for whatever comes. I would love to stay at the Twelfth, but if I have to leave, I'll be grateful for my time here and move on… it's time." Kate walked her friend to the door, adding "Congratulations, Kev, we're all proud of you."

She returned to her desk, reading some messages and avoiding others. One message in particular had an expiration date, and Katherine Beckett could only ignore it so long. She printed it out and placed it in her top left drawer, promising to deal with it tomorrow.

In the last six months, Karpowski had been promoted and transferred to the Twenty-forth Precinct, Officer Hastings had ascended to detective, and Lanie had been promoted to Senior Medical Examiner. Change was in the air, and the Twelfth appeared to be ground zero.

By five o'clock Kate was ready to go home; she however, did not relish the rush hour traffic. She continue to catch up on paperwork, losing all sense of time. At six thirty she was brought back to reality by her ringing phone. She answered with a smile, "Hey you made it to Dallas." At the other end, a weary Castle told her about his uneventful flight. "What are you doing? I bet you're still at the precinct?" denounced Castle. "Yea, I lost track of time. I was waiting for traffic to die," replied Kate. "Well, don't stay too late, and call me when you get home." Kate liked that he worried about her, but would never let him know how endearing she found it or she would never hear the end of it. "Don't you have some fancy cocktail party to attend?" she inquired. "Tell me about it, Paula has been filling out paperwork for three months, it appears former First Lady Laura Bush will be in attendance. I'm getting dressed now; I hate to wear this tux," he fussed. "Castle, stop complaining; now go, have fun and behave, I like Laura Bush." "Love you Kate. I'll call you when I get back to the hotel."

Southern Methodist University houses the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Tonight's affair was a fundraising event sponsored by _Friends of the SMU Library_ , and the Bush Presidential Library, benefitting one of the Bushes favorite local charities, Hearts and Hammers; who rehabilitate the houses of Dallas' elderly residents. Richard Castle had been invited to attend, and Paula had quickly accepted on his behalf. That had started a three month merry-go-round of Secret Service paperwork for clearance to attend the shin-dig. Along with his attendance, Castle had instructed Paula to write the charity a check. Richard Castle was nothing if not a soft-hearted sap.

The evening had been pleasant enough. Castle, to the delight of the ladies, was his ruggedly handsome self. He mingled with the Dallas elite, signed a few books, and was introduced to former First Lady Laura Bush. Kate would love the photo op.

Kate had made it home by seven thirty, later called Alexis and was now catching up on some reading; something she found difficult to do lately. She climbed into bed around ten, cuddling up to enjoy the last chapters of her book. By eleven she was finding it hard to keep her eyes opened. At eleven thirty, when her phone rang, it woke her. "Kate, go back to sleep, I'll call you tomorrow," he hastily said. "No, no, Castle, it's okay, I can sleep-in tomorrow. I want to hear all about the cocktail party." Castle, told her about the charity, and even confessed how surprised he was to be known among the group in attendance, mostly for Dereck Storm. He saved the best for last; meeting Mrs. Bush. "She's a very nice lady. Thanked me for attending and for our donation," added Castle. "I'm glad you had a good time. Sleep tight writer man," she told him. Castle smiled, blew his wife a kiss and wished her good night. The huge hotel bed felt cold and empty, he missed her warmth, her body within reach, and the sense of peace she provided him.

CHAPTER 5

She slept until just past nine that morning. Saturday was their day. They usually slept in, cuddle, made love or both. Castle would then get up and concoct some breakfast surprise while she showered. They would read the paper and start their day. She missed him, she missed their time together and their routine. Life with Castle was never as rewarding as when they were together doing, absolutely nothing.

Reaching for her phone, she glanced at Rick's schedule posted on the refrigerator and checked the time. She still had a few minutes, his first book signing started at eleven. He answered on the second ring, "Hey beautiful, did you get enough sleep?" he asked. "Yes, I did. Amazing how much sleep one can get when there's no pesky person next to them," she added with a laugh. "I'm sorry I woke you last night. I'll call earlier from now on. I keep forgetting New York is an hour ahead." "Babe, it was just past eleven, I was reading and fell asleep." "Well, that goes to prove, you should stop reading boring books. Bet it wasn't one of mine," he mocked. "So, what are you doing today?" he inquired. "Alexis is coming over, we're having lunch and then going shopping. Tonight I'm meeting Lanie, we're binge watching Temptation Lane and ordering pizza. Typical girl stuff." They ended the call as Castle readied to greet his fans. Nine more days, in nine days he would have her is arms again.

Alexis arrived around eleven, "Kate?" she called from the living-room. Kate walked out of the bedroom, greeting Alexis with a smile. "So are we ready to do some damage to your fathers credit cards?" Kate noticed a subtle change is Alexis; a stiffening of her back, a wane of her smile. "Everything alright?" she asked. With a slight curt tone Alexis assured her everything was fine, but Kate was not convinced.

"So, where should we start?" asked Kate. "Do you want to have lunch? Go shopping?" Alexis smiled, answering, "I'm game for anything, I'd like to stop by the mall, I want to get Ben a New York Rangers cap; all of a sudden he's a hockey fan." Kate laughed, envisioning Ben, who could barely ice skate, rooting for the Rangers. "Well, the mall sounds like a plan, I need to stop by the toy store for a gift for Sarah Grace; any idea?" inquired Kate. "Anything pink, purple, and frilly should be a safe bet," volunteered Alexis.

The mall was a ten minute walk from the loft. Your typical suburban shopping venue, Manhattan Mall housed numerous name brand chain stores, among them a Toy's R' Us. They decided the short walk would be nice, and since it was near the mall, they chose the Petit Poulet for lunch. They each ordered a salad and continued with their conversation. Alexis filled Kate in on law school, and the fruitless apartment search. As they talked, Kate noticed Alexis was simply moving her salad around and barely eating; she had a feeling Alexis had something on her mind. They finished lunch, walked to the mall, picked up a Disney princesses, play tent for Sarah Grace, and a blue fitted Rangers cap for Ben. By two thirty they were back at the loft. Alexis did not appear to be in a shopping mood, and Kate wanted to get her back home to talk.

Once inside the loft, Kate turned to Alexis, placed her hands on her shoulders and asked, "Okay, now are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Alexis let out a sigh and hugged Kate. Kate walked a crying Alexis to the couch, and brushed the tears off her cheeks with her thumb. "It's about the wedding, setting a date," hiccupped Alexis. Kate stood, walked to the kitchen, pored two glasses of wine, and grabbed some tissues. "Here," she said, handing Alexis a tissue and one of the glasses.

Alexis took a sip of wine, wiped her tears and sat there in silence. Kate was not about to rush her, Alexis would talk when she was ready. "You know sweetie, if things have changed with Ben, your dad and I are here for you. We will support any decision you make," offered Kate. "NO! No, I love Ben; it's just not that simple."

Not that simple, words Kate knew by heart. She was the queen of the, _not that simple_ , excuse. She took a large gulp of her wine, and faced Alexis. "Allow me to let you in on a little secret, it is that simple. I am the poster child on that front. I wasted so much time, time I could have been with your father, because, _"it was complicated; it wasn't that simple,"_ and honestly it is." Kate took Alexis' hand, caringly looked at her stepdaughter and asked, "Ready to talk?"

It was a flood of words, once she started she could not stop. For months, she had been agonizing over doubts and worries; she was ready to explode. "Ben does everything! He pays all the bills. He covers the rent, utilities, food, everything. Now, he wants to find an apartment closer to Columbia. He's lived in the Bronx since he moved to New York; this new apartment is for me, so I don't have to spend an hour traveling to school. He won't admit it, but I know. Then there's school. Dad pays for school, I know it's my college fund but, nonetheless, it's dad's money. I pick up tutoring jobs here and there for spending money, and if I need anything else, I have the trust fund. I literally have a trust fund! I don't think it's fair to Ben. I'm supposed to be this modern, independent women… Ha! I'm a kept woman! I thought maybe, if I transferred to the night program…, it would take me an extra year, but I could get a job and contribute something." Alexis let out a breath, looking like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Kate turned and asked, "Have you and Ben talked about money? Is it a problem?" "No, it's not a problem, and we talked about it, the money and stuff, when we started getting serious. He knows about my college fund. He knows dad has money; I just don't think he knows exactly how much we really have." Kate had been there, she knew about these doubts, mind you, from the other side of the coin. "Do you think it matters to Ben?" she asked. "No. I don't think so," replied a weary Alexis.

It was time to introduce Alexis to some hard facts. "Would it make you feel better if you and Ben were saddled with a quarter of a million dollars of your student loan debt? Then add Ben's debt to the mix..." said Kate. Alexis explained Ben has no student debt. When his grandfather died he inherited enough money to pay off his loans as well as the remainder of law school. Kate could see the change in Alexis' eyes. Whether it was the unburdening of her doubts or the fact that she was realizing some of the hard truths, her tone was now softer, and less drastic. "His undergraduate degree was in finance, he's good with money. Right after he proposed he showed me all his accounts; he said he wanted me to know he could take care of me. He was so sweet, I couldn't even get mad at him. I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't need him to take care of me. No, even if I didn't have any money, we would be okay. You guys don't have to worry." Kate smiled and assured her that was one thing they did not worry about.

It was time for a heart-to heart, Kate needed to share some of her own hard truths. She had faced these a while back, but had never shared them. In a barely audible voice, Kate started. "Sweetie, my parents paid for me to go to college too, parents do that for their kids. After my mom was killed I received a substantial amount of money from her life insurance; money I didn't want and wouldn't touch. I always felt guilty about that money, I hated it. It took me years to realize that my mom had made plans to take care of me, and the life insurance was her still taking care of me. Your father helped me see that. When my apartment blew up, he offered to lend me money to get a place. I was grateful, but of course I refused; he thought I was being stubborn. I had to prove to him money was not an issue. He saw I was going to move into a dump to avoid touching that money, and got very upset. He told me I was being selfish and ungrateful. He pointed out I was not allowing my mother to take care of me. He explained he had arrangements in place in case anything ever happened to him. Those arrangements were made so that he could always take care of you. He taught me that's what parents do, they take care of their children as best they can; always."

Alexis' cell phone interrupted the moment. "Speak of the devil," said Alexis as she noticed the caller i.d. She wiped her tears, cleared her throat and answered, "Hey, handsome!" On the other end Ben greeted her cheerfully, "Hey Red, what you up to? Still with Kate?" "Just a mother, daughter chat, I'm telling Kate how you leave your dirty socks all over the apartment," Alexis joked. Ben apologized for having to work on a Saturday, told her he'd be done by five and added, "Maybe I can take my favorite girl to dinner? Kate could join us." He was too good to her, she thought. "She has plans with Lanie, but dinner sounds good. Can we go to Macao Trading Company?" He had taken her there on their first date, and tonight she longed to remember how she had fallen in love with this sweet, thoughtful man. Ben smiled as he recalled their first date, "Anywhere you want; Macao it is." "Do you still have that gym bag in your office? The one with extra clothe?" asked Alexis. "Yea, old habit from my NYPD days," confirmed Ben. "Good, bring it with you. We can stay at the loft tonight, if it's okay?" Alexis added. She looked at Kate who nodded in approval. As they got ready to end the conversation, Alexis whispered, "Ben? I love you." Ben beamed as he returned the sentiment. Alexis looked at Kate, gave her a long, tight hug and asked, "Do you have a calendar?" They both smiled and walked towards Castle's office.

Alexis was giddy, right now she could not remember why she ever dreaded making a decision about a date. She could not wait to tell Ben. Finally, after ten months, they could plan their wedding. Truth be told, she always dreamed of a small affair, with just close friends and family. One thing for sure, she wanted to marry Ben and marry him soon.

Kate and Alexis talked and giggled liked school girls. It was March, and Kate knew from experience wedding venues were not easy to come by; especially on short notice. "Alexis, I'm sure Meredith will love to help plan your wedding," Kate hesitantly added. Alexis could hear the slight disappointment in Kate's voice, she turned to Kate, put the calendar down and said, "Kate, I love my mom, I do, but you're my mom too. You and grams are the ones I want helping me plan my wedding. My mother is a whirlwind. She's unpredictable and an over-the-top, drama queen who'd swoop in turning this into a media frenzy; something both Ben and I would hate. No, once Ben and I agree on a date and we select the venue I will call her and tell her. She can help select the cake, you know dad won't let her mess with that!" Alexis tenderly looked at Kate and hugged her. "You are also the mother of the bride, and don't you forget that. I love you Kate." "We better keep this between us girls until you tell Ben," a chocked up Kate added.

Alexis was in her room when Ben arrived. She had been reminiscing, thinking about things to come; her new life with Ben, a place of their own. They had been apartment hunting, but all the apartments they had seen just missed the mark. Alexis now suspected it was not the apartments, but her hesitation and doubts. She liked Ben's place, but it was just that, Ben's place. She wanted their place, a place they could both make their home. Change was good.

Kate greeted Ben at the door as Alexis rushed down the stairs, leaping into Ben's arms, planting a kiss on his lips. Ben was taken by surprise, but grinned, as he held her and asked, "To what do I owe this welcome? Not that I'm complaining." "Well, Mr. Taylor, I missed you," Alexis firmly replied. Kate walked towards a beaming Alexis, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Lanie and I are making a night of it. I'll be staying over, so don't wait up." Alexis hugged Kate and quietly thanked her. Ben looked at the two women and felt there was something he'd missed. "What did I miss?" inquired Ben. "Nothing, now go shower and change, I'm starving," giggled Alexis. "I don't believe you!" yelled Ben, as he walked up the stairs.

While Ben showered Alexis prepared his surprise. On plain white paper she printed out, "Marry Me, Mister Taylor! Placed in a white envelope, it now waited for Ben." Should she give it to him now or at the restaurant? If she gave it to him now, the odds were they would not make it to dinner, and she really was hungry. Her decision made, she walked over to the kitchen, took some sliced fruit from the fridge, and smiled as she ate.

Twenty minutes later Ben walked out of the bathroom to find Alexis sitting on the bed. With nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, Alexis looked at her fiancé and thought; smart, kind, handsome and sexy, she had a keeper! She crossed her legs, keeping her arms behind her back, and smiled. Ben stared at Alexis, adding, "Like what you see, Ms. Castle?" Alexis blushed, nodding and said, "I have a present for you, pick a hand?" Benjamin looked at Alexis, wondering what his fiery redhead was up to. Without a word, he pointed to her right hand. She produced the envelope and handed it to him; Ben sat next to her and opened it. As he unfolded the paper, he noticed the heading, looked at it again, and turned to face Alexis. Ben dropped the paper, scarcely managing to say "I hope this means what I think it means," before taking Alexis in his arms and kissing her passionately with wonton disregard.

It was eight o'clock before they order in. They sat on the bed eating pizza; Alexis talked, Ben listened. He felt bad, at how deeply Alexis had been bothered yet he had not noticed. After talking to Kate, a lot of what she now admitted to Ben felt silly and petty, but she wanted him to know everything.

A lot what said that night. Things each needed to know. Ben took Alexis' hands in his and confessed, that before he proposed he had gone to see Castle. "I'm old fashion, I asked for your hand in marriage. I also talked to your dad. I wanted him to know I loved his daughter and did not care about his fame, or his money. I offered to sign any type of pre-nup or document, signing away any and all rights to every single penny of his or yours. Your father told me he trusted you, and that those decision would be made by you, not him. He then added, it'd be cheaper to have me killed." Ben kissed her hands adoringly and continued. "Alexis, I know you're rich. You're the child of a celebrated author, I know you have money; quite a bit of it. Your trust fund is not a secret either." He wiped her tears and added, "You, Alexis, are the only thing of Richard Castle I want." He gave her a short peck on the lips, smiled and added, "Now, is there anything else bothering you?" Alexis, smiled, wiped the last tears from her eyes, and with a devilish smirk inquired, "Why do you insist on sleeping in the guestroom when we're at the loft? My bed is so much more comfortable." Ben laughed as he caught his breath, and owned up to his personal hidden anxiety. "Lex, you've told me about tea parties, sleep-overs, Monkey Bunkey, your dad tucking you in and all the girly stuff you did growing up in that room. There is no way I could sleep with you in there… We would defiantly have performance issues!" Alexis laughed as she launched at him, locking her lips to his. "Guess I better move my stuff in here then."

CHAPTER 6

It was a quarter to eleven, Sunday, when Kate walked in the door. To her surprise, she found a crossed legged Alexis sitting on the couch next to Benjamin. "Good morning Kate," greeted a smiling Alexis. "Well, good morning you two." Scattered around them were calendars, papers, pens and an iPad. "Have you heard? We're getting married!" a beaming Benjamin advised. "August or November, even if we have to do it on the courthouse steps," added Ben, as he kissed Alexis. Kate smiled as she walked to her bedroom. Change, she thought, an inescapable consequence of life.

They opted for an early lunch and headed towards the Spicy Village on Forsyth. Amidst the edamame, steamed vegetable dumplings and spicy chicken Hui Mei, the three discussed Ben's new job, the search for a new apartment and the wedding. Once Alexis' got started there was no stopping. In less than twenty-four hours she had narrowed the choices of venue to two, and dates to three weekends within a four month window. Give that girl a year, and her wedding could rival anything a royal. "We're hoping the Botanical Gardens are available, that is our top choice. We go there often; we really like it there, it's so beautiful and peaceful," said Alexis. "What date were you looking at?" asked Kate. "Third Saturday in August. That gives us five months; more than enough time," added a clueless Ben. Five months? For a New York wedding? In August? Ha! Thought Kate to herself.

After lunch, Ben called for a cab for their trip back to the Bronx. Just before leaving, a laughing Alexis hugged Kate and whispered, "I better call dad, his checkbook is about to get a workout, after all, the bride pays for the wedding."

Kate made it back to a now empty loft. She missed Castle; funny how that had happened. Years before she thought nothing of being alone in an empty apartment. She always preferred to live by herself, no roommate. After her mother's death, she was on her own. She and her father had mourned differently, though in equally devastating ways. Her father had crawled into a bottle, losing himself to her and the world; she had locked away her heart, resigned to seeking justice by jumping into an abyss of revenge. To her surprise, being alone did not equate to loneliness. She filled her days with work and her nights hunting down leads. On those occasions she craved someone, it was mostly mindless company; until Richard Castle entered her life. The years with Castle brought many things to her life, and with the passing of time, there also came a sense of loneliness. Richard Castle forced her to love again. Alone in the loft, without him near, she was lonely.

She busied herself by reading. They had briefly spoken that morning, and had promised to catch up later. It appeared Richard Castle's calendar of events was packed with activities of all kinds. The fine people of Texas were nothing if not friendly, and had invited Castle to a Sunday picnic at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas. She had received an array of pictures from Paula showing Castle wearing his Lone Vengeance tee shirt, sporting Spiderman face paint, sword fighting a little girl with a balloon sword. There was also a sweet picture, showing children gathered around him as he read them a story. She could see the kindness that exuded from this man-child she had married.

By the fourth ring he groggily answered. "Castle? Are you sleeping? It's five o'clock! Are you alright?" asked a concerned Kate. "Yea, I'm fine, just pooped!" he exclaimed. "Kate, those kids almost killed me! Where do they get the energy? I think it's a diabolical plot… they're plotting to take over the world by exhausting the adults into surrender." Kate could not help but laugh out loud. "That's because you think you're a child, not a forty-year-old man. I bet you played every game they asked or dared you to play. Am I right?" "Well, I was a guest. Wouldn't want to be rude." Kate laughed, and at that moment fell in love with her husband just a little bit more. "Do me a favor, and next time kids enter into our conversation, remember how exhausted you feel," she chided. "That's the beauty, if we have one, they'll be outnumbered" he quipped. She smiled as he regaled her with knock-knock jokes he had learned, as well as stories from the day's activities.

She brought him up to speed on Alexis and Ben and reminded him to pretend delight when Alexis called with the news. "Prepare to dish out the big bucks Castle, weddings are expensive." "That's okay, our little girl is getting married!" he said, with a tinge of melancholy. The inclusive nature of his comment pulled at her heart strings. As they bid good night Castle added, "I have one last joke for you." "Seriously?" She chuckled a bit, then added, "Okay, give it to me." Gleefully he started, "Knock, Knock!" "Who's there?" she played along. "Olive." "Olive who?" she asked. Sweetly, he replied "Olive you." She giggled, adding, "Olive you too, Castle." She smiled as she ended the call, thinking to herself, even if they only had one, she would always have two.

CHAPTER 7

Monday she walked into the precinct early. She had woken up, wondered around the empty loft, showered, dressed and headed out. No sense wasting time, she had plenty to do at the office. By nine that morning she had been at it for two hours. When her cell phone rang, she smiled and answered. "Good morning handsome. Feeling any better?" She could just see him, smirking as he readied an answer. "Ha! I'll have you know, it'll take more than a handful of kids to do me in," he guffawed. The laughter that escaped her made him laugh too. "So, I bet you're already at the precinct," he said. "You got me. I woke up really early…" she did not finish. She did not want him to know just how much she missed him.

He was on his way to the airport, ready to fly to Austin. It was a thirty-five minute flight and his first book signing was not until six that evening. On Wednesday he and Paula would drive the eighty plus miles to San Antonio. He was looking forward to his one day off. He had plans to see the Alamo, a place he had never visited. Then it was off to Houston on Friday. He couldn't wait, Houston meant he was closer to having Kate in his arms; she would meet him in New Orleans the following Monday.

At one o'clock, when every phone in the precinct started ringing Kate knew it was going to be a long week. They had caught three homicides, one after the other. Esposito and Ryan were still working a case from the week before, but with all hands on deck, and a gruesome body dump just reported, she was forced to call on them again. "Espo, I know you guys aren't up, but we just got slammed with three murders," she advise. "Captain, it's okay, we just located the perp for our last case. Ryan and I were just bringing him in." "Call a squad car and have them transport him to the precinct. I need you guys to head to Water and Old Dock Street, meet up with the uniforms; I hear it's a gruesome one. I'll meet you there." When she called Espo she had no plans of heading to the crime scene, but with Castle gone, that old itch had reared its ugly head.

A local artist and dumpster diver had found a severed leg in an industrial dumpster. To his horror, when he opened a black garbage bag, he had found a leg, still wearing a sock and a shoe. Police had responded immediately and were holding the shocked artist.

Kate beat the boys to the scene and immediately reverted to her Beckett ways. After being advised that further check of the dumpster and two dumpsters alongside it yielded no additional body parts, Kate instructed patrol units to secure all the dumpsters within a six block radius. The thing about establishing a large perimeter she advised the stunned officers, was you could always reduce it, but if you started small, expanding it was difficult. Too small a scene and you risked losing evidence or having evidence compromised. Six blocks sounded good to Kate, and after all she was the Captain.

Once Esposito and Ryan arrived they were followed by a dozen or so uniformed officers. Kate brought them up to speed, apologized to Esposito for hijacking his case and reluctantly relinquished control. Seeing the look on Beckett's face, Esposito called after her, "Captain!" Kate turned and walked towards her detectives, "You know, with all the paperwork and a perp still waiting to be questioned, plus the size of this scene, we could really use your help. Castle's out of town, so maybe you could give us a hand. Unless you have captain stuff to do?" Kate smiled, knowing damn well what Esposito was up to; but at this point she would take whatever she could get. "Come on Captain, for old time's sake," added Ryan. Before they knew it, they were back in sync; Kate directing, Espo and Ryan following along.

Additional body parts were located in five similar garbage bags, in four other dumpsters within the perimeter Kate had cordoned off. In total, they had recovered six trash bags containing the dismembered parts of what Lanie and Perlmutter could only identify as a white male. It was definitely going to be a long day.

She had called out the cavalry. Any detective not presently working a hot lead was summoned to the area. The crime scene extended six city blocks and five locations; they needed all the help they could get. By six o'clock there were twenty officers, eight detectives, twelve crime scene technicians and two medical examiners, scattered within a six block radius.

By nine that evening the area looked like a movie set, bright lights illuminated the dark alleys and people milled all around. They had located two arms, the remaining leg, minus the foot, and the torso in two sections; but no head. Ryan had gone in search off any and all video within the six blocks. Although a busy warehouse district during the week, the weekend left it quiet and desolate; a prime location for any crime.

By ten o'clock the body parts had been transferred to the morgue, the crime scene techs were wrapping up, and just a few units remained. Detectives had been dispatched to collect videos from those businesses located within the crime scene, and Ryan and Esposito were just about to call it a night. Esposito's phone rang a few minutes past ten, he was surprised to see Castle's name on the screen, "Hey Castle, what's up? Aren't you in Texas?" Castle, in one breath responded, "Espo, have you seen Beckett? I've been calling her since eight and I can't reach her, she's not answering her phone." Esposito walked up to Kate, tapped her on the shoulder, and as he said "Hold on," handed his phone to a startled Kate. "Beckett," she answered, "Kate, where have you been? I've been going out of my mind. I've been calling you for two hours!" she heard Castle frantically say on the other end. "Castle? I'm fine. I'm at a homicide, we got slammed today and I came out to help." As she talked, she pulled out her phone and took a look; eighteen missed calls, fourteen from Rick and four from Alexis. Looking closer, she noticed her ringer was off. "Rick, I'm so sorry, I just noticed the ringer is off," she apologetically replied. "Kate, I was worried, I thought something had happened to you." She walked away from the boys, adding "Babe, I'm okay, I promise. I'm sorry I worried you. I must have turned off the ringer by mistake. Tell you what, let me give Espo back his phone and I'll call you back. Give me five minutes." "Okay, five minutes" he curtly responded.

Five minutes later she was in her car, heading home and dialing Castle. She felt bad, needlessly worrying him. Castle had spent what seemed like a lifetime worrying about her, and once she was promoted to Captain she had promised his worrying days were over, if not, at least, substantially reduced. "Kate, you have to promise me, you'll never let this happen again. I was frantic, a thousand miles away, not knowing where you were. If anything happen to you…" She could not understand what had gotten into him. He had reason to worry and even to be upset to some degree, but this level of hysteria was unlike him. "Castle, calm down, I told you I'm alright." At this Castle snapped and yelled into the phone, "Don't tell me to calm down! You weren't answering your phone, I even called your office and it went to voicemail!" In a measured voice Kate responded, "Rick, I understand your concern and I love you for it, but babe, I'm not going to fight with you." She could hear Castle take a deep breath. After what appeared to be several minutes of silence, a weary Castle finally spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell; it's that I was so worried, and of course my imagination got the best of me. I love you Kate, and I felt helpless, and well… I panicked when I couldn't reach you." "Babe," she tenderly said "I miss you too, and I promise to check and make sure my phone is working. Now go to bed, I'll call you first thing in the morning." A now appeased Castle, asked one last thing before he said good night, "Is it a doozy?" She knew immediately what he was referring to, "It's a true Castle case, worthy of a Nikki Heat storyline and your wild Castle theory… maybe alien cannibals," she added with a grin. "Seriously? I hate business trips!" a now deflated Castle whined. She pulled into the loft's parking garage, parked her new Charger next to the Ferrari, and smiled. For the next few days, she was back to Bad-ass Beckett.

She entered the loft discarding her clothe and walking straight into the shower. A while later, as her stomach reminded her she had skipped dinner, she strolled into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of fruit and some yogurt; as she sat down, her phone rang, it was Alexis. "Kate, are you ok?" she asked. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to wake you, so I didn't call. I'm fine, the ringer on my phone was off. I'm sorry I worried you and your dad," a contrite Kate added. "It's okay, I'm just glad you're okay. Ben told me it was probably something stupid, like your phone was dead or something to that nature," a relieved Alexis said. "I love you sweetie, and I promise to be more careful. Say hi to Ben, now go to bed, I know you have a class in the morning." In the empty loft Kate all of a sudden felt warm and secure. This was her family, they were worried; they loved her and she loved them back.

As promised, first thing the next morning she called her husband. It was shortly after seven-thirty and although she did not want to wake him, a promise was a promise. To her surprise, what sounded like a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Castle answered on the second ring. "Morning writer man, I'm sorry about that whole mess yesterday." "Kate, it's okay, it just made for a very long two hours, that's all. Now, tell me all about this case?" he eagerly asked. Kate told him about the dismembered body and how they were still missing a foot and the head. She was excited to be back investigating a case with the boys and promised to keep him up to date on all the gory details.

The bullpen was busy and full of people hurriedly walking from point to point. As she walked into her office, she noticed Ryan and Esposito by the murder board. She checked her emails, saving that pesky one she was avoiding, returned a few calls, then join the boys. The case was high profile, the media had gotten wind of the dismembered body information and it was now front page news.

The witness had been cleared. He was known to the local patrol units as a regular dumpster diver. In addition, a visit to the morgue had provided an approximate time of death, and the witness had a solid alibi. According to Lanie, the preliminary examination indicated the victim had been dead several hours prior to being dismembered. Indications were that the murder had occurred approximately forty eight to seventy two hours ago. So far they could not establish a cause of death; they needed the head. Aside from the obvious, the body parts showed no indications of any trauma or injury that would cause death. The knuckles showed minor abrasions, the left knee had a torn meniscus, and there were early signs of cirrhosis of the liver, but there were no outward indications of what had caused the victim's death. Lanie and Perlmutter believed the victim had been dismembered by a machete; the cuts were blunt and the subject needed to have exerted tremendous force to cut through all the flesh, muscle, and bone. The job had taken awhile and there was bound to be a lot of blood, and tissue left behind.

Identifying the victim was easy. A check of his fingerprints identified him as fifty-one-year-old Jacinto Manuel Ochoa of Miami, Florida. There was no missing person's report on file, and computer records had been unable to find a current telephone number. The victim had a criminal past, but mostly for petite crimes.

Once back at the precinct Ryan sent out a nationwide teletype, requesting jurisdictions contact NYPD if they located any unidentified body parts, specifically a head; a copy of the victims Florida driver's license picture had been attached. Kate had gotten on the phone with her counterpart at the Miami Police Department, who had been eager to assist. They would check on the last known address for the victim and report to her later that day. If need be, they would secure a warrant.

Video of the area had provided several shots of an older model Dodge Caravan driving through the alleyways. The videos were from a distance and not clear, but they had been able to make out the make and model of the vehicle. Tori had also detected a distinctive bumper sticker located on the bottom, left corner of the rear bumper, as well as what appeared to be a dent on the right passenger door. Though not clear, the shape of the bumper sticker was unique, and along with the dent, once they located the van it could assist in providing a positive i.d. So far they had collected video from thirty two businesses, some better than others. Tori and Ryan had spent hours watching them, frame by frame.

By eleven that morning, six more videos had been surrendered from businesses in the area. Tori and Ryan now had help from two Special Victims Unit detectives; the videos seemed to be their best lead so far. Area canvases had led nowhere, and due to the volume of evidence, it was going to take a while.

The area businesses were anxious and eager to have this crime solved. They had worked hard at cleaning up the waterfront and did not need any negative press. Kate had received numerous calls from One PP, and the Mayor's Office. The Chief of Detectives had personally visited and given her full access to any resources needed. Nothing was off the table, overtime, extra manpower, equipment; whatever it took. The last thing the city needed was for this thing to grow wings and people to think there was a madman loose in New York City dismembering people.

CHAPTER 8

They had all been working around the clock. The importance of clearing this case was not lost on the detectives. Everyone was getting ready for the long haul. Until this case was solved no one was going anywhere.

She sat at her desk with a salad and an iced tea and called Castle. She told him about the van and the victim's i.d. Castle was beside himself, having to miss this case, and grumbled about it throughout the conversation. "I'm going to be working late. The kind of hours I had before the promotion, so if you don't hear from me…" she quietly added. "Kate, I know you lose track of time. I'll call you. But promise you'll try to get some rest," he conceded. "I promise," she assured him.

"Captain! We have something!" Kate could hear Ryan yelling even before she saw him. She ran out of her office, meeting him halfway. It was four o'clock, and as she approached the tech area she could see the four bleary-eyed detectives smiling from ear to ear, high-fiving each other. Detective Quinto Smith had spotted someone on a submitted video. There, in grainy black and white, you could see what appeared to be a white male, opening the dumpster lid and placing two garbage bags inside the container. A second video showed the same man, arriving in an older van, similar to the one identified earlier. Kate, Ryan and Esposito watched in amazement; they had him. Now to i.d. and find him.

The euphoria and celebration were cut short when Tori, in an attempt to document the chain of custody noticed the location of the dumpster. It was three blocks east of the crime scene; they had not searched that dumpster, they did not have those bags.

The bullpen was tossed into chaos. Beckett barked orders for units to respond and secure the location immediately. Ryan and Esposito headed for the door, running down the stairs, too impatient to wait for the elevator. Calls were made to the Medical Examiner and Crime Scene Unit (CSU), to head towards the new location. Kate grabbed her jacket and cell phone and headed out. As she jumped in her car she dialed Tori. "Tori, where did that video come from? How could we have missed those dumpsters?" asked an angry Kate. "Captain, it came in with a bundle, three discs to be precise. I called the person who surrendered them, he said he's just the delivery guy. I called his boss, I'm waiting for a callback," a deflated Tori reported.

By the time Kate arrived at the new location, units had already secured the scene. Ryan and Esposito, wearing blue personal protective gear and looking like two giant smurf's, were inside the dumpster carefully pulling out items. As Kate approached, she saw Lanie at the rear of the Medical Examiners van looking into a black garbage bag. "Captain," she heard Esposito call, "We got it, two more bags. The missing parts, the head and the foot." Kate, let out a breath and continued walking towards Lanie. "So, are they the missing parts? Do they belong to the same person? Or do I have some serial machete killer on the loose?" a frustrated Beckett breathlessly inquired. "Well, obviously I'll have to run some tests, but in my opinion, yes, they are the missing parts. The cuts appear to be similar, and the sock on the foot matches the one on the leg recovered yesterday. We should have some solid preliminary results soon. Girl, you need to find this guy. The victims face is unrecognizable; whoever did this, pounded him until nothing was left, every bone in the face is fractured, it was brutal." Kate thanked Lanie for the update and headed back towards Esposito.

Kate was angry, angry at herself. She had established the perimeter; had she gone out further… Esposito startled her out of her deep thought. "Hey, I know what you're thinking," he added. "Espo, I set that perimeter, it was my call," she berated herself. "Listen chica, we both know, had you not been here, I would have searched perhaps two or three blocks. We would have missed most of the other bags. You set a six block crime scene! Any larger and we would have covered an entire precinct. Let's just be grateful pick-up day is tomorrow, and we caught a break." Receiving that video had been an act of divine intervention. Luck, pure luck; and they knew it.

Senior Crime Scene Technician Albert McLeod called shortly after seven thirty, they were at the medical examiners and had caught a huge break. They had discovered a latent print on the inside of the bag containing the head; they had a match. The print was a ten out of twelve point match, as close to perfect as you can get. Twenty minutes later, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito were in Lanie's office waiting on McLeod.

The print was a match to a forty-nine-year-old, convicted felon out of Miami. Carlos Hernandez had a lengthy criminal record. He had previously been convicted of second-degree murder and had been released two years ago, after serving a twelve year prison sentence.

After some digging and good old police work an address and phone number had been located for Hernandez. His last known address was in Queens. They would hold off on a search warrant. For now, units were sitting outside the house, hoping he would return.

By nine o'clock a BOLO had been issued for Hernandez and the van. An additional two prints had been located on the bag containing the victims left leg; those prints also matched Hernandez. Carlos was now a wanted man. Before she left the M.E.'s office Captain Beckett made two calls to make. "Sir, its Captain Beckett. I just wanted to let you know we have identified the subject of the dismemberment case. As of now we do not have him in custody, but we have secured an arrest warrant, issued a BOLO and have entered his information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)," reported a weary Kate, to the Chief of Detectives. "Thank you Captain, you and your people are to be commended. Keep me posted, I'd like to know when we nail the bastard." "Yes, sir."

Her next call had been to Captain Roger Martinez of Miami Homicide. Martinez advised they had been unable to locate a next of kin for Ochoa. They had searched his apartment and processed it for prints and trace evidence. He had not been killed there. The victim's landlord reported Mr. Ochoa would be out of town for two weeks, visiting friends in New York. She thanked him for his assistance and headed home.

Once home, she showered and crawled into bed. The day had taken a toll, she was exhausted. She called Castle, who was delighted to hear about the day's events. The conversation was short, as he could hear the fatigue in her voice.

The next morning, a well-rested Kate entered the precinct to find Esposito and Ryan deep in thought, pondering the murder board. Hernandez had not returned to the Queen's address and it appeared he had simply vanished. He rented a one room apartment at the home of a family friend, and by late afternoon the decision had been made to obtain a search warrant. At three o'clock, warrant in hand, Ryan and Esposito entered the apartment. The one room studio was in shambles, a trail of blood led them to a small bathroom. Years in homicide had exposed them to a variety of gruesome crime scenes, but this one was intense. Before they went any further, they called Beckett, the M.E.'s office and CSU; this was going to take more than the two of them.

The stench of dried, coagulated blood permeated the air; the bathroom was literally caked in blood. No doubt, they had located the murder scene. Not one's to be squeamish, they all had a difficult time staying near the bathroom. Even the medical examiner's had been taken aback at the sight. Perlmutter determined the blood type at the scene matched that of the victim. Further DNA testing would be conducted on the blood, tissue and hair located, but he was confident this was the location of Mr. Ochoa's murder.

An hour later Ryan returned to the precinct in an attempt to unlock a cell phone discovered during the search. Two hours later, they had further evidence linking Ochoa and Hernandez. The cell phone belonged to the victim. Ryan had contacted the carrier and phone records linked Ochoa's last four phone calls to Hernandez; all the calls pinged in New York City.

The search had been a success, they had gathered more evidence, and it was all solid. Hernandez on the other hand, turned out to be as elusive as ever. He was gone, his cell phone had been turned off and no one knew where he could be. They had canvased his neighborhood and spoken to relatives; no one had heard or seen him in weeks. According to his cousin, most of the family was leery of him. He had been a stranger, but shortly after he was released from prison he had reached out to family in Long Island and had been taken in by an elderly aunt. They had helped him, but soon realized he was dangerous and asked him to leave; they were not close.

By eight that evening Kate was ordering everyone home; they would start fresh the next day. She could not wait to get home and shower. During an earlier conversation with Castle she had related the sight of the crime scene, and how she could still smell the dried blood. Even the thought of it, produced the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

After an hour long soak in the tub, Kate walked into the kitchen and poured herself a well-deserved glass of wine. She walked back to the living room, picked up her phone and dialed Castle. "Hey, feel better?" he asked. "Amazing what a hot bath can do," she responded. "So, tell me about your day, how many books did you sell? Remember, you have a wife to support," she sarcastically quipped. Richard Castle knew his wife well, her attempt at glibness and her avoidance of the day's event told him one thing; the case was ugly and gnawed at her. Katherine Beckett was a professional, hard-nosed detective with the constitution of an ox, and if this crime scene bothered her, it was bad. He filled her in on his uneventful day, jokingly adding that he'd signed at least one hundred books and had declined to sign as many boobs. She laughed as he continued to lull her with his stories. After calling out her name several times during the conversation, he bid her good night and told her to go to bed. He hated not being there for her.

It was close to midnight before she could get the sight of that bathroom out of her dreams.

CHAPTER 9

At two in the morning, a drained and wearied Kate was roused by her ringing cell phone; it was NYPD central dispatch. Hernandez had been picked up in Hunts Point, by officers from the Forty-first Precinct. She called Esposito and asked he pick her up on his way to Hunts Point, she was too tired to drive, and being Captain had its privileges. They arrived at the Forty-first to be greeted by their groggy Captain, as well as several detectives and the arresting officers.

As they waited for Hernandez to be brought to interrogation, Beckett, Ryan and Esposito were escorted to the observation room. Hernandez was a short man, perhaps five feet five inches tall, with a full head of salt and pepper hair; yet he presented an imposing figure. His years in prison must have helped him develop the thin, muscular physic he carried. His walk was solid and purposeful as he looked straight ahead. His face showed no remorse and his body language only confirmed his resolve.

Beckett and Esposito entered the interrogation room and sat across Hernandez. "Good morning Mr. Hernandez, I'm Captain Beckett and this is Detective Esposito, we are from the Twelfth Precinct; I understand you've chosen to waive you rights? You understand this conversation is being recorded, and anything you say can and will be held against you?"

For the first time, Beckett looked into the steely gray eyes of Hernandez; the man had no soul. Hernandez stared at Beckett, sinisterly sneered, and in heavily accented English said, "Captain, we're both professionals. I waive my rights, so go ahead; why don't you just tell me what you want," he smiled and leaned back. "What I want, Mr. Hernandez, is for you to tell me why you murdered Mr. Ochoa," demanded Beckett, in a soft yet forceful tone. "No problem," an emotionless Hernandez replied. "Before I went to prison, I loaned him two hundred dollars; the bastard never paid me back. When I got out he called me like it was nothing, never even mentioned it. I asked him for my money and he said times had changed, then he laughed… laughed!" For the first time, Hernandez showed a sign of emotion, the anger in his eyes was palpable. "Last month I called him, talked to him like nothing. I invited him to come see me, told him I had an easy mark and we could make a killing." At this, Hernandez started laughing; then just as abruptly stopped and added, "That day, when he got here, I picked him up at the bus station; we went to my place and started drinking. At some point I got up and punched him, when he fell I picked up my iron and beat him, I hit him until he no longer bothered me. I rested for a while then dragged his body to the bathroom, and the rest you know." Hernandez's cold description of the event was matter of fact, without explanation or excuse. Beckett put her pen down, looked straight into his eyes and asked, "Why dismember the body, why not just dump it?" Without missing a beat, Hernandez said, "Easier to dump; I'm not as young as I use to be, the bastard was heavy." "Will you write all that down for us?" she inquired. "My English is not so good, but give me the paper." Without further comment, Carlos Hernandez put pen to paper and wrote words as cold as he had uttered.

Once they had his confession, Beckett, Esposito and Ryan headed back to the Twelfth. Hernandez was being transferred; Kate wanted him booked by her people, at their house. Once at the Twelfth, they took custody of Hernandez; Esposito and Ryan would walk him upstairs. As they exited the elevator a spontaneous chorus of applause greeted them. Hernandez didn't blink an eye as he marched, head held high pass the waiting cadre of officers.

It was six-thirty in the morning by the time she walked into her office, coffee in hand. Thursday, only a few more days before she was to join Castle in New Orleans. There was still lots to do, and it started with the message she had tucked away in her top left desk drawer.

Kate sat behind her desk, opened the drawer and read the message. "Captain, we await your decision and look forward to hearing from you soon." She had kept this close to the vest, not even discussing it with Castle. She needed to get all her ducks in a row, and talk to him. Then and only then would a decision be made. Coffee, she needed more coffee. Once again the message was shoved into the drawer.

At eight o'clock she placed calls to One PP and the Chief of Detectives. The Public Information Office had telephoned and requested her presences at One PP for a press conference at noon. The Commissioner had asked that the lead detectives as well as the officers that had located Hernandez attend. The media circus was on, and they were center ring.

Kate hated the press these types of cases attracted, but Captain Beckett understood the need for good relations with the media as well as good press for the department. This case was an excellent feather in the NYPD's cap. In less than seventy-two hours, they had solved a gruesome murder, which was fueling fear around the city. They had captured a cold blooded killer, who had killed before, and would have continued to kill if not stopped. The NYPD would look good, but Kate wanted her people to look good too. She ordered Ryan, Esposito, Tori and Detective Smith to be present at the press conference; they would get the credit. Kate then called Captain Washington at the Forty-first Precinct and asked that he too attend with his officers, after all it had been a team effort.

Captain Ray Washington had never worked with Beckett but her reputation preceded her, the call had confirmed that reputation. Beckett was known as an honest, hardworking cop who pushed the envelope but never crossed the line. She backed her people and never asked of them anything she was not willing to do herself; she was a cops, cops. Beckett could have easily taken credit for the entire operation, accepting all the accolades the press conference would bring. Instead, she had included the Forty-first.

She was exhausted, she had been up since two in the morning and had only been fueled by a croissant and four cups of coffee. Once the press conference was over she would have Esposito drive her home.

At ten o'clock she telephoned Castle; she needed to hear his voice. "Hey, so what's going on? Any updates?" asked Castle. "As a matter of fact we have him in custody, along with a full confession. Uniforms from the Forty-first found him at Hunts Point; he basically surrendered," added Kate. "Seriously? No gun battle, no high-speed chase? He hacks up some poor bastard and just gives up?" he continued. "Pretty much, just a, _you got me_ , kind of thing. But Castle, this guy is something; his confession reads like a to-do-list, cold calculated and chilling. The man truly has no soul." Kate explained. "I'm just glad you got him. I wasn't going to say anything, but I was worried you might not be able to meet me Monday," said Castle. "Yea, it crossed my mind too. But, babe, everything's good. We have a dog and pony show at One PP at noon, after that, I'm done. I have things to take care of tomorrow, then I'm off for …" Kate stopped herself as she had not told Castle she would be off for two weeks. As far as he was concerned, she was back to work the following Thursday. There was a lot Katherine Beckett needed to tell her husband. New Orleans, she would talk to him in New Orleans.

By eleven Kate had changed into full uniform; at eleven-thirty they were pulling up to One PP. Located in Lower Manhattan, One Police Plaza is a rectangular, rather bland, reddish-brown brick building. Built in 1973, this modern, unassuming building is a poor replacement for the 1909, neo-renaissance styled, domed, white stone building it replaced. One PP had gone from regal to regular. After clearing security, Beckett and her team were directed to the Commissioner's office.

The receptionist stood once she saw Captain Beckett exit the elevator. The Commissioner would see her immediately. Kate, hat neatly tucked under her left arm proceeded inside. The Commissioner was accompanied by the Chief of Detectives and the Deputy Commissioner, for Public Information. "Captain Beckett, allow me to shake your hand," greeted the Commissioner as he walked forward. Beckett slightly flustered, proceeded to shake the Commissioners hand, and nod a greeting to the other two men. "Please, have a seat, we have a few minutes before the press conference." Kate sat, feeling as if she were at the principles' office; she smiled and waited for the questions.

"Kate, let me tell you, as Chief of Detectives, I am proud to have you under my command," added her boss. The Commissioner, looked at Beckett, smiled and added. "Captain, it goes without saying we are all relieved this case was solved, and solved quickly. I for one, appreciate all the hard work you and your people put into this case." "Thank you sir, but the credit belongs to my officers as well as the uniforms from the Forty-first. This was truly a team effort," added Beckett. After a short briefing from the Deputy Commissioner for Public Information, the Commissioner rose, and the others followed. A few minutes later, hat firmly in place, Captain Beckett joined Captain Washington, Detectives Ryan, and Esposito as well as the others on the front steps of One PP.

The Deputy Commissioner approached the podium, and addressed the crowd. "Good afternoon, in a few minutes the Commissioner will be making a statement regarding the brutal slaying of Mr. Jacinto Ochoa, he will then be joined by Captain Katherine Beckett of the Twelfth Precinct who directed the investigation and subsequent arrest of the perpetrator.

Surrounded by the officers, the Commissioner walked forward, "Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you surrounded by the brightest and best of the NYPD. As most of you know, four days ago our city awaken to news of a horrific crime; the dismemberment of a human being. The brutality of this murder was such, that it shocked even the most hardened of officers. We are not unfamiliar to crime, and although all violent crime should shock and appall us, some crimes show us the depravity and evil some are capable of. The brave men and women of the NYPD have made sure, this one individual will never perpetuate this evil again. I now turn the podium over to Captain Katherine Beckett, who headed this investigation." Kate took a deep breath, and moved forward. She could feel a small trickle of sweat run down the back of her neck. It was high noon, they were standing outside and she was in her class A uniform, tie and all; at least it wasn't July she thought.

After recounting the events of the investigation, Kate singled out Esposito, Ryan, Tori and Smith by name. She later thanked Captain Washington and the members of the Forty-first Precinct for locating Hernandez. There were a few questions, which Kate addressed in short, concise responses. Katherine Beckett was no fan of the media; personally nor professionally.

It was a quarter to four when she walked into the loft. As she stripped off her uniform, her phone rang. "Well, no one will ever accuse you of seeking the spotlight," chimed Lanie on the other end. "Girlfriend, would it have killed you to smile?" Kate took a breath, "Actually it might have; you know how I love to waste my time with the press," an exhausted Kate replied. Lanie laughed and added, "Well, if it's any consolation you looked good." They chit chatted for a few minutes, and made plans for lunch the following day.

Kate walked into the bathroom, and turned on the shower, nice and cold, just what she needed, a nice cold shower. Even after the shower she was still exhausted, she walked to the kitchen, with her hair still dripping wet, poured herself a glass of water and went to bed. Before she settled in, she called Castle. When he saw the number on his screen, he excused himself, assuring the crowd he would return. "Hey, how'd it go?" he asked. "Fine, the news conference was outdoors, so everyone was hot and miserable, but I got through it. You know my endearment towards the press…" she replied. Castle laughed, as he was well aware of his wife's media aversion. The conversation was short and Castle soon returned to the crowd. No sooner had she said good night, than she was out like a light; the day's events having taken their toll.

CHAPTER 10

It had been a while since she'd slept that long. She had the day off and she was making the most of it. She open the front door, grabbed the newspapers and placed them on the counter; she'd catch up with the day's events later. By eight o'clock she was dressed and having breakfast. She had a full day, but first a call to her husband. "Good morning writer-man!" she cheerfully greeted. "Well, you sound all cheery and rested. Did you sleep well?' he inquired. "I slept like the dead. Babe, honestly, I don't even remember much of our conversation last night," she laughed. "Well, when you get to New Orleans, I'll remind you," he wickedly added. Kate did not mention she was off, just that she had a meeting and a lunch date with Lanie. As she listened to Castle recite his next day's schedule, Kate unfolded the newspaper. She took one look at the headline, "Dam it! I swear I'm going to kill someone!" she yelled "Kate? What's wrong? Who are you going to kill and why?" asked Castle. "I don't know how you do it? You give then quotes, pose for photo ops, you have Paula give then exclusives on book and movie releases; they're blood sucking parasites! The first one I see today is going to jail!" "Okay, I take it, it has something to do with the press. What happened, is there something in the paper?" "Is there something in the paper? This trash does not deserve to be called a paper! Why do you subscribe to this crap Castle? I never want to see this paper in our home again! I mean it Castle, never!" she was still yelling and visibly upset. "Paula handles all of that, but I'll let her know to cancel whatever paper you want," he replied, in an attempt to appease her. "Tell Paula to cancel all of them, they're all lying, backstabbing leaches." Through a smile, Castle took a breath and asked, "So what does it say?" He knew it had to be related to the press conference, but what could have her so riled up. Between clenched teeth Beckett read the headline out loud, "Real life Nikki Heat, nabs Real life Machete!" All in all not a bad headline, thought Castle, however, he was not brave enough to say that to his wife. "Kate it's a rag, and everyone knows that. Don't let it upset you. I'll tell Paula to cancel that subscription."

Kate was not about to let the headline ruin her day. She vented to Castle for a bit longer then, placed the paper in the trash and put it all aside. She hated to admit it, but Castle was right, it was a rag and everyone knew it.

It was a nice crisp fifty-seven degree when she walked out of the building. New York in March, tourist were bundled up, locals were shedding their coats. In a freshly pressed white long-sleeve shirt and navy blue trousers, Katherine Beckett was ready to face the day. A good night's sleep had done wonders for both her disposition and her resolve, and no headline was going to take that from her. It was a fifteen minute walk to 1 St. Andrews Plaza, she had almost half an hour to kill, a nice walk and a tall skinny latte, vanilla, with two pumps and no sugar, should do it. She had a pep to her step and a smile on her face, Katherine Beckett was happy. She was off for two weeks, she'd be with Castle on Sunday and the potential for major change was in the air; life was good.

Named after a Federal prosecutor who served the Southern District of New York for over three decades, the Silvio J. Mollo Federal Building houses several Federal agencies; among them the United States Attorney's Office. It was a quarter after ten when Captain Katherine Beckett presented her badge and identification to the officers at the security desk. She made her way to the elevator, portfolio securely held in her right hand, ready for her ten-thirty appointment.

As she exited the elevator she was greeted by an older woman, dressed in a power suit, wearing a no-nonsense look. "Good morning Captain Beckett, allow me to direct you to the conference room." As they rounded a corner, Kate came face to face with the newest Assistant U.S. Attorney, Benjamin Taylor, her future son-in-law. Both flustered, Ben quickly looked at Kate, extended a quick greeting and continued on. Kate was not worried, after all it was not unusual for an NYPD Captain to meet with the U.S. Attorney; with any luck she'd be able to catch Ben after her meeting.

The conference room was large and cold. Mahogany wood polished to impress, high back leather chairs and the Department of Justice seal prominently displayed against the back wall. She was impressed but not intimidated, after all they had come to her. Left alone, Kate checked her phone and placed it on vibrate, sat back and relaxed. Watching the door handle turn, Kate reverted to Captain, and stood. She recognized the Attorney General, who was followed by the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and several others she did not know; she was surprised when she saw the Police Commissioner right behind them.

"Good morning Captain Beckett. Thank you for meeting with us. Allow me to introduce the Attorney General," Kate extended a greeting, as the Attorney General reached out to shake her hand. "I believe you know the Commissioner?" Kate nodded as the Commissioner added, "Good morning Kate." After several other introductions, they each took a seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Department of Justice is committed to its core principles. We strive to enforce the law and ensure public safety. However, we also aim to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice, and that includes to the victims. Sometimes, victims are left out of the equation, unless there are family members that actively pursue their interests, hard to solve cases are frequently set aside and forgotten. Whether it be a lack of funds, staffing, or resources, we've all seen this happen. I believe Captain Beckett brings a personal perspective to this conundrum. The entire room turned to look at Kate; for the first time that morning she felt slightly uncomfortable. A gentleman in a rumpled, brown suit interjected, "Victims of crime, through their experience possess a unique outlook which arises from their victimization. Some victims, like yourself, Captain, hone that energy and develop a single mindedness; it's not always positive. In your case, your determination to seek your mother's killer, resulted in the NYPD getting a top notch detective. Your steadfast resolve, against all odds, and at great personal risk, culminated in the arrest and conviction of a corrupt public official and the elimination of a criminal enterprise."

One of the attorneys, she could not remember his name, cleared his throat, stood and addressed the group. "This is Dr. Rafael Grady, Dean and Professor at Hudson University. Along with his Ph.D. in sociology, Dr. Grady holds a Juris Doctorate from Harvard, and a Master of Science in psychology from LSU. He's a member of the Joint Center on Violence and Victim Studies' Executive Committee at Hudson University, and the Chair of the New York Office of the Victim's Advocate Advisory Committee. He is an expert on victimology."

Another attorney walked to the head of the table and addressed the group. "Today we gather here to venture into a new realm, one where a lack of funds, staffing, or resources, is not an obstacle. Where victims without family have advocates and where families of victims are welcomed and included. We hope to create five new offices around the country that will adhere to the philosophy of not only enforcing the law but representing the victims." Kate looked around the room and spoke, "With all due respect, why am I here? I'm not an attorney nor an expert, and you have your own investigators. And, quite frankly, my last venture into a Federal agency didn't end well." The Attorney General, who had been silent till then addressed Kate. "Captain, you're here at my request. I am well aware of your track record, and although at times disconcerting, it is none-the-less one of the most impressive resumes I've seen. Your reputation does in-deed precede you. Everyone here is aware of your work history; youngest female detective in homicide, and an exceptional clearance record. However, what impressed me, was what most don't know. Even after your mother was murdered and you left Stanford, you graduated from NYU, Summa Cum Laude, you finished top of your academy class, and after your rookie year, you returned to John Jay College and obtained your Master's degree, again graduating with honors. Most of all, you never gave up on solving your mother's case; even when the odds were against you. But you know what most impressed me and my staff? The same tenacity and dedication you gave your mother's case, you have given to every case you have investigated; you Captain have given victims a voice." At that, Kate redirected her gaze down at the table, for she had just heard Roy Montgomery speak to her.

"Kate, we would like to offer you a position here in New York; District Director of the Federal Victim's Crime Task Force." The Commissioner looked at Kate and added, "Captain, when I was approached about this new venture I was thrilled. When they told me they wanted one of my best, I bulked. But after this last case, the way you took charge and solved it in four days, I knew I had to let you go. Kate, you may not have been aware, but I kept a very close eye on the Hernandez investigation. Granted, sometimes your methods are unorthodox, but they are successful. I know you gave your people the credit, but truth be told, it takes more than detectives following leads to solve a case. If there is no leadership, or guidance, people falter; you give your people confidence, you support them and you're not afraid to get your hands dirty. Deputy Commissioner Gates gave me a rundown on you, she warned me not to underestimate your dedication; she's advocated for you too. The NYPD will always be your home, and trust me, we have big plans for you. The task force will be directed by the Fed's but will operate in cooperation of the NYPD, you would simply be detached to the Department of Justice."

The plan was simple, but the task daunting. She would work for the Department of Justice, federally deputized, but still an NYPD Captain. They would have full access to investigative resources, would be staffed with investigators and support staff of her choosing. The cases would come from both federal and state agencies and would be both current and cold cases. Dr. Grady would be available as an expert witness and consultant. They would answer only to Washington. Their only goal was to solve the unsolvable.

A little after eleven the Attorney General excused herself and left; everyone else stayed. They had been at it for three hours, with no end in sight, so lunch had been catered. Kate briefly excused herself and called Lanie, begging off their lunch date with a promise of a huge gossip session later. For now Katherine Beckett was all business. She noted all the particulars and reviewed all the documents, she needed to make sure she had all her ducks in a row before she talked to Castle.

It was well past three before they all stood to leave. "Captain, if you'll allow me to sweeten the offer a bit," a smiling Assistant U.S. Attorney added. "We are all aware that you are married to Richard Castle, and that he has shadowed you and acted as a consultant for the NYPD. We understand, at times he's been a tremendous asset. If your husband is willing to undergo a federal background check, he too is welcomed. The same arrangement he currently has with the NYPD would stay in place." Kate smiled and added "Sir, I'm not sure you're aware of what you are offering, my husband is a force of nature." The Commissioner laughed and said, "Richard Castle is a hand-full, and Captain Beckett here is the only person I know that can rein him in."

She had been sitting all day, but Kate was exhausted when she left the Federal building. She hailed a cab, settled in for the ten minute ride and called Castle. He should be at the airport waiting on his flight to Houston. "Hey Castle, I saw I had a missed call, everything okay?" asked Kate. "Just thought I'd give you a call, but it went to voicemail, figured you were busy," responded Castle. "My meeting lasted longer than I thought. You know politicians, they like to hear themselves talk," mocked Kate. "Politicians, ugh? Thought it was a precinct meeting?" asked Castle. "No, it was downtown, suits and the Commissioner, you know how it is. But I'll tell you all about it soon, I promise," responded Kate. Just as the cab pulled up to the loft, Kate added "Castle, you know I love you right?" "Kate, is everything alright?" he asked. "Oh, babe, yes; everything's fine. It's just, I miss you," Kate whispered. He promised to call when he arrived in Houston, blew a kiss and said good bye. Richard Castle knew Katherine Beckett better than Katherine Beckett knew herself, and something was up.

Having spoken to Castle, Kate mulled over calling Benjamin. She needed to know if he knew anything, but did not want to seem too obvious; after all there was nothing wrong with her being there. Kate picked up the phone and called Alexis; if Ben suspected anything he would have long ago called Alexis.

"Hey Kate, saw that press conference yesterday, you rocked it," Alexis said. "Thanks sweetie, although…" Kate stopped mid-sentence, thinking of the morning's headline. "Yea, I saw that stupid paper when I walked off the subway this morning. Sorry, I know how you hate the press," added an apologetic Alexis. "It's okay, although I gave your poor father an ear full this morning," they both laughed. Kate reminded Alexis she would be flying out to meet Castle and the loft would be empty for several days. Fishing for information she related bumping into Ben earlier that morning at his office. "Oh, yea, Ben mentioned he had seen you, he said a bunch of big wigs were there," added Alexis. Kate relaxed, stating, "Boring meeting." Alexis did not inquire further and Kate was glad to let it go. All would be revealed later; but first Castle.

CHAPTER 11

By four thirty Katherine Beckett was well into the second volume of papers she had brought home. Lanie would be over at six and there were things she still had no intentions of sharing. Everything appeared to be in order, just as had been discussed; no surprises. She would remain an NYPD Captain, but would be detached to the Department of Justice. In the event the task force was dismantled, or she wished to transfer back, she would be returned to her choice of assignment. Even Castle's provision had been included. All the t's were crossed and the i's dotted, all that was missing was Katherine Beckett's signature.

At six fifteen, Lanie strolled into the loft, headline in hand, laughing. "So, where did you hide the body? Because obviously this headline merits someone's death," she teased. Kate handed her friend a glass of wine, took a sip from hers and with a deep sigh added, "Nope, no deaths; Castle talked me off the ledge. That man saved lives today," she added with a grin. "Well, okay, so where were you today, what's going on?" Lanie looked at Beckett and waited. "No, secret, I was at the U.S. Attorney's with the Commissioner, I can't tell you much right now, but I promise when I get back I will tell you everything." Kate hoped her friend would understand. Lanie was accustomed to Beckett's selective dissemination of information, and though she didn't like it, had learned to respect her friend's boundaries.

They ordered Thai, turned on some tunes and continued with the girl talk. Lanie asked about Castle's book tour. Kate found her cell phone and pulled up the pictures of Castle at the children's hospital picnic. At the sight of Castle sporting a super hero tee-shirt and face paint, Lanie giggled. "You know, you're gonna have to give that man a playmate?" Kate looked at Lanie, smiled, and then grew serious. "I think I'm ready to have that conversation with him." Lanie looked shocked, did those words just come out of Katherine Beckett? "Stop staring at me!" demanded Kate. "Why should it surprise you? We're married, my career has settled down a bit, and we love each other. What more could I ask for?" "Girl, I don't know what's happened to you, but if you and Castle are ready to start popping out little Castle babies, aunt Lanie is ready to babysit!" exclaimed Lanie with utter joy and glee. They both laughed as Kate clarified, "I said a playmate not playmates." She liked the way that sounded, Katherine Castle was comfortable with this topic. Katherine Castle; she liked the sound of that too.

They settled in for their evening of Temptation Lane. Lanie was her best girlfriend, she could trust her to be brutally honest, sometimes too much so; she did not pull any punches. Lanie had been there since the beginning. When she refused to admit she had feelings for Castle, Lanie had been there to point out the obvious. Lanie was family.

Castle had called during a rather poignant scene, interrupting a nail biting, cliff hanger. He had laughed when Lanie answered Kate's phone, "Listen writer-boy, we're in the middle of Temptation Lane, your girl will have to call you back." He was glad Kate was not alone. Lanie passed the phone to Kate, but he had kept it brief. She would call him later; after all Temptation Lane was not to be interrupted. By ten-thirty, Kate was curled up in bed ready to call him back.

Castle was in Houston, there were two book signings the next day; he would be up bright and early. Kate had a busy day too, she'd be flying out Sunday and needed to finalize her plans. She was supposed to meet Castle in New Orleans on Monday, instead she had arranged to surprise him. With Paula's help, she would be waiting for him in the hotel, Sunday night.

Paula had never been happy about Rick's, _"Nikki Heat"_ obsession. After Kate and Rick married, she simply viewed it as a passing fancy, something to deal with; after all they'd been there before, twice. However, things changed rather quickly when Paula committed a mortal sin. During a book singing trip, two months after they had married, unable to reach Castle, Kate called Paula. Alexis had been rear-ended by a drunk driver, out of an abundance of caution, she had been transported to the hospital. She was fine and was released a few hours later. Kate had asked Paula to have Rick call home as soon as possible, Paula had waited hours to deliver the message. Castle was fuming. He threaten to fire Paula and had flown home that same night; cancelling all appearances. Kate eventually patched thing up between the two. Paula had apologized to both Rick and Kate, and at that moment, developed a new appreciation and respect for the new Mrs. Castle. Paula quickly became an ally.

Saturday she got up early, and went for a run. She loved the city, she could get lost in its sounds, and sights. The cadence of her running soon turned into a smooth rhythm; before she knew it she was at Battery Park. It was a beautiful brisk cool, clear day. The normal weekday hustle and bustle had been replaced by leisurely Saturday walkers and recreational joggers; the two mile run had been effortless. She decided to sit along the waterfront and enjoy the view; all was good in Katherine Beckett's world. Twenty-minutes later, she placed her ear buds back, found some Coletrane and continued her run. She ran past the World Trade Center, offering a silent prayer, and continued back towards home, five miles, give or take. Her day was only beginning.

After a hot shower and some coffee, Kate dressed and headed out. Her first stop was B&B Rare Books off East 20th Street. She had called them on Tuesday, but had not expected to hear back so soon. She was delight to receive an email Friday, they had found her request. Castle would be thrilled, after all it was one of his favorite authors. After picking up the package, she headed to Paper Presentation, off West 18th Street. Everything had to be just right, and she would have to do the wrapping in New Orleans; after all she did not want any problems with TSA as a result of prewrapped gifts. By twelve-thirty she was headed to her lunch date with Martha. Next stop, the Russian Tea Room.

The cab ride took longer than expected. When she arrived, Martha was seated, partaking of an afternoon beverage. Colorful and effervescent, her mother-in-law never failed to impress; Martha Rogers was Broadway personified, and she made sure everyone knew it. "Darling, over here," she called out. "Katherine, you look wonderful. Having Richard away agrees with you," she added in a humorous tone. "Martha, sorry I'm late," replied Kate with a smile. Kate had endeared herself to Martha. It was no secret that she approved of their relationship and had been delighted when her son had found a woman that not only challenged him, but loved him too. Kate in return, had developed great admiration for Martha; a woman who was undoubtedly always in her corner, and protected and cared for her like a daughter. Kate's heart held a special place for Martha Rogers, and always would.

"So, tell me, what have you've been up to? Caught that press conference. Katherine, you my girl are one tough cookie. Saw the headline too, I hope you gave them hell." Martha laughed and downed the last of her drink. She signaled for the waiter, taping on the empty glass, and turned to Kate. "What will it be darling?" "No thank you Martha, I'll just have water," answered Kate. "Nonsense, you need a drink, after all we need to talk about Alexis' wedding and how we're going to keep Meredith from driving them into eloping." Martha looked at the young waiter, winked and added, "Bring me another Cosmonaut, and bring my beautiful daughter-in-law here, a To Russia with Love." The waiter nodded and walked away, Martha turned to Kate, smiled and said, "Katherine, trust me, you'll love it; it has chocolate." Kate knew better than to argue; Martha Rogers would always get her way. The waiter returned with the drinks; they placed their lunch order and sat back. Martha was delighted to finally hear about the wedding date; Alexis had also told her about the little chat with Kate. "Katherine, you've been more of a mother to that girl than Meredith ever has. I thank God every day Alexis has you in her life." Kate felt herself blush, noting Martha's sudden serious tone. "Someday you're going to make a wonderful mother, and I hope it's soon, cause I'm not getting any younger, kiddo." Martha laughed and took a swig of her drink. Two hours and several drinks later, they said good-bye, each heading their separate way.

Traffic was light, the cab ride was quick. She was glad to be home, she still needed to confirm with the hotel, print her boarding pass and pack. All of a sudden she felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach; she was getting nervous. As she walked in the door, her phone rang, she smiled when she saw Castle's face pop up. "Hey babe, how's it going?" she answered. "Great, and do you know why I'm doing great?" you could hear the joy in his voice. Without allowing her to say a word Castle continued. "Because the day after tomorrow, I will have you in my arms; and I can't wait!" Kate laughed as she listened to her husband practically squeal with glee. The conversation continued with Kate telling him all about her lunch date with Martha. "I'm surprised you're not drunk," he added. "Last time I met mother at the Russian Tea Room, I had a hangover for two days." "Well, she did try, but I managed to limit it to two drinks'" she chuckled. They ended the call with plans to talk later that evening. Kate needed to get busy, she had to make sure everything was in order.

Airline, check, car service, check. Ritz-Carlton, check. Paula, check; everything was in place. She had booked a suite, and arranged for dinner reservations at the hotels M Bistro's private wine room. Paula had things ready at her end. Castle would fly out of Houston at eleven and arrive in New Orleans close to noon. Kate was scheduled to depart JFK at eight and arrived in New Orleans at ten-thirty in the morning. Later tonight she would tell Castle she'd be unreachable Sunday morning, as she was going to a yoga class with Maddie. With any luck, her flight would be on time and she'd be able to talk to him before he boarded his flight. She packed and readied; she really did miss him.

CHAPTER 12

She arrived at the gate by seven, even at that hour JFK was a hub of frenzied travelers. The Gods were smiling upon her; her gate was next to the Dunkin' Donuts. She took her coffee, and found a comfortable seat.

An hour later, she boarded and took her seat in first class. This was one perk she now allowed herself; Castle had spoiled her. The flight arrived at Louis Armstrong International Airport ten minutes early. The moment she walked onto the terminal, she found a quiet corner and called Castle. "Kate! I didn't think I'd get to talk to you. How was yoga?" he cheerfully asked. "Okay, but I don't think I'll trade my sparing for yoga in the park. It's more a Maddie thing," she lied. Well, I'm sure you had fun with Maddie, you always do. Did you confirm your flight? I'll be at a book signing when you arrive, but Paula's picking you up at the airport. We tried to reschedule but it was already advertised," Castle apologetically explained. "Babe, don't worry. The important thing is we'll be together. I can't wait to see you." "Kate, my flight is boarding, so I'll talk to you later. I'll call you when we land," a hurried Castle added. "Love you writer-man. See you soon." Kate ended the call with a grin.

Twenty-five minute later, she was pulling up to the Ritz-Carlton. Kate Beckett was no more; once she boarded that flight; she was Mrs. Richard Castle. Wearing a simple but elegant navy split neck sheath dress, and her signature heels, Katherine Castle walked into the Ritz-Carlton. Ricks flight was only an hour, so she needed to move things along. "Mrs. Richard Castle, I have a reservation." For the first time ever, Kate presented the black American Express card Castle had given her right after they got married. "Good morning, Mrs. Castle. I see you've made certain arrangements, please allow me to get your concierge." Within five minutes, a perky young woman, introduced herself, handing Kate the keys to their club level, luxury suite, and a business card with her direct line and cell number. She instructed a bellman to take Kate's luggage, and escorted her to the elevator. "Mrs. Castle, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, everything you requested has been arranged. If you need anything during your stay I am at your service."

The suite was huge. The seating area was decorated in old style French elegance, a reminder of the New Orleans mansions of yesteryears. The bedroom had a canopied king size bed, and the marbled floor bathroom had an oversized bathtub and a walk in shower. The view of the city was breathtaking. Kate could have sworn the suite was larger than her first New York apartment. The Ritz-Carlton never failed to impress.

She put her things down, and went to freshen-up. Paula would telephone once they landed; giving her about thirty minutes before Castle arrived.

The plan was simple. Though they traveled well, arriving at the Ritz would set off Castle's suspicion. Paula would tell him it was a _thank you_ from Black Pawn for the lengthy publicity junket. Once there, she would drop Castle off and tell him she was headed to the book signing venue. In reality, Paula was headed back to the airport for a flight home. The rest was in Kate's hands.

She was nervous, excited and giddy all at the same time. She would surprise Castle in the Library, which was reserved for Club Suite guests. If she met him in the suite, they would not be talking. She needed to tell him everything. She placed the contract in the decorated box she'd packed and waited, everything was set to go. She'd been pacing the floor for ten minutes when her phone dinged; a text from Paula, they were on their way. Kate called her concierge, Caroline, the young woman seemed amused. "Not to worry Mrs. Castle, everything is ready; I myself will be greeting Mr. Castle. If you'd like you can head to the Library, we will call you when he's on his way." Kate grabbed the box, and headed towards the Library.

Richard Castle was excited. He was in New Orleans, one more day and Beckett would join him. They got into the towncar and Paula was immediately on her phone, so Castle took the opportunity to call Kate. She jumped when her phone rang, it was Castle. "Hey writer-man! You make it to the big easy?" mocked Kate. "We're on our way to the hotel," added Castle.

Twenty-five minutes later, Richard Castle swaggered into the Ritz-Carlton. Having been a fan, Caroline recognized the ruggedly handsome author immediately. "Good afternoon Mr. Castle," she greeted him as he approached the front desk. "Well, good afternoon to you too, Caroline," replied Castle after glancing at her name-tag. "I believe I have a reservation." "Yes, sir, let me check on that for you. Here it is, a king room," a now serious Caroline answered. "Caroline, my wife will be joining me tomorrow, I'd like to upgrade that to a suite if possible," inquired Castle. "I believe we can accommodate you sir. The suites aren't ready for check-in, housekeeping is just finishing up. I can hold your bags, and the bellman will deliver them to your suite. It will only be a few minutes, allow me to escort you to our Library," offered Caroline. "A Library? You guys have a library?" a surprised Castle asked. "Well, yes sir, it's a bar in a library. I thought, you being an author, you'd enjoy it." "Well, lead on Caroline, lead on," a grinning Castle added. As they walked towards the elevators, the reservation clerk telephoned Kate. Mr. Castle was on his way.

Caroline left Castle at the door to the Library. Richard Castle walked in and noticed the opulent yet relaxing décor, he was impressed. Kate had been waiting, seated in a large leather chair towards the far end of the room. She watched as her husband's face lit up at the sight of all those book. As he walked towards a bookshelf, Kate sneaked up behind him and whispered, "Hey handsome." Castle was rendered speechless, as he turned and saw his wife. They stood facing each other for a few seconds before Kate wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. They were alone in the Library, but it was a public place, so Kate broke off the kiss and stared at a surprised Castle. She took him by the hand, leading him towards the far end of the room. Castle took a seat in an overstuffed leather wingback chair, bringing Kate with him. Laughing Kate kissed him tenderly. When they parted, she said, "Take it you're surprised?" Castle took his wife's face in his hands and kissed her hard and deep. Yes, he'd been surprised, pleasantly so. "Kate," was all he could muster, as he left her lips. They kissed and laughed like two teenagers, until Castle stopped and breathlessly said, "I got to call the desk, we need our room, now!" "Castle, we have a room, I've been checked in for over an hour," she told him. Castle stood, took her hand and started towards the door. All of a sudden, Kate stood firm. "Castle, hold on." With those words Richard Castle looked at his wife and knew something was up.

What was she up to? He knew his wife, and at that moment he could see the hesitation and doubt on her face. Her telltale sign was evident, she was biting her lower lip, something she did when she was nervous. "Okay, Kate, what's wrong?" Richard Castle was a very forgiving man, but he hated when she kept things from him.

She walked him back to their chairs, but Castle did not sit. "Kate, whatever it is, just tell me," he breathlessly uttered. She took his hands in hers and in one breath said, "Castle, I've changed. Being with you has changed me," He had to sit. His knees would no longer hold him up. He could feel the blood drain from him. What was going on? "Kate?" It was barely a whisper. "No Castle, please let me finish. When I told you _that you've made my life extraordinary. That you've taught me to_ _be my_ _best self_ _. To look forward to tomorrow's adventures._ -The words I said on our wedding day, I meant very single word." For the first time since he'd walked in the door he was able to breathe. Just then he noticed the box; it had to be hers, it was covered in elephants.

They were seated across from each other holding hands, he could see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Castle, the Department of Justice came calling again. I didn't mean to keep this from you. I just wanted to be able to tell you something besides, I had gotten a request to meet." A solemn Castle looked at Kate, dropped his hands and asked, "Okay Kate, so what's the secret. Because obviously there was a meeting and you have information. It must be big, if its worthy of such an elaborate show," he said as he pointed around the room. "Babe, I had this planned from the moment you told me about the book tour. Paula helped me out so I could surprise you. This has nothing to do with that." Castle stood, looked away and said "You still haven't answered my question. What's the big secret, what did the DOJ want?" He was upset, she'd even go so as far as to say he was angry. "Here," she said, handing him the box. Kate quietly took a seat across from him and waited.

Castle stared at the box as he poured himself a shot of whiskey. After he'd downed the drink, he opened the box. He read every page, sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph. It boiled down to one thing, they wanted Kate. When he got to the last page, he balked. He was part of the deal; their partnership was written into the contract. Then, if that wasn't enough he saw the signature line. It was unsigned, she was waiting for him. She had flown to New Orleans to surprise him and had brought the contract to discuss it with him so they could make the decision together.

Castle gathered the contract and the box, grabbed Kate by the hand, and headed out the door. Before long, they were in the elevator with Kate leading the way. She had booked an exclusive luxury suite; the woman had thought of everything. As she inserted the card and opened the door, Castle turned her around and kissed her. "Kate?" he softly called. He had noticed tears in her eye. "What's wrong?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him like she would never let go. "I missed you so much."

They sat on the couch and held each other. No words were exchanged, none were needed. Eventually the silence was broken. "It's a great opportunity, the offer is phenomenal. I hope you said yes." "I told them I had to discuss it with my husband. After all, he's listed on section ten, paragraph eight," replied Kate. Castle gave her a squeeze and gently kissed her. She felt all his emotions in that tender kiss. "Before you sign, they need to make a correction," added Castle. Kate looked at him questionably. "It says Katherine H. Castle," he pointed out. Kate walked to the bedroom, returning moments later, and handed him her driver's license. Castle took one look at the license and looked back at Kate. "While you were gone, I went to the DMV and had it changed. According to the State of New York, I'm now Katherine Houghton Castle." "I'm an idiot," he offered. "Yes, but you're my idiot." Kate kissed him, took his hand and led him towards the bedroom. The rest of the conversation could wait.

CHAPTER 13

It was simple, it was time to lead her life. A life of her choosing. Life had been cruel, but also rewarding. Circumstances had propelled her into a career at which she has excelled, but which had been destined by events rather than desire. But now, Katherine Beckett would get to choose, and she chose Richard Castle.

The smell of fresh coffee awakened him. Before he opened his eyes he reached for the warmth of his wife but found empty space. "Wake up writer-man, we got a busy day," she called out. He moaned and turned over, "Come to bed, we're on vacation," he grumbled. She tossed a pillow at him and laughed, as she pulled the covers off him. The sight of a naked Castle was tempting, but she had plans, and phase one was in play. "Come out to the sitting room, I ordered breakfast," she added as she walked away.

Exiting the bathroom he noticed a book with a sticky note on the bed. The bright sticky note read, " _Clue #1:_ _It's all about you_ ," it was signed, _Always_. He picked it up and smiled, the woman knew him well, he thought as he read the title; "The Booklover's Guide to New Orleans." He could hear her on the phone in the next room, whatever she was up to he was going to love; so long as she was with him, he was happy.

She could hear him fussing about. She finished her call and walked into the bedroom, "Like your present?" she asked, pointing towards the book in his hands. He walked towards her, grabbed her around the waist, and kissed her. "Okay handsome, grab your book and let's go."

They walked out of the hotel hand-in-hand, Kate was practically skipping. Their first stop was across the street to ride one of the city's historic streetcars. They hopped on board and settled into one of the mahogany benches. The ride was slow, and bumpy but beautiful. The antebellum mansions and oak trees along St. Charles Street added to the romantic atmosphere. Castle could not help but reference Tennessee William's, _A Streetcar Named Desire_ and laugh; he and Beckett were no Stella and Stanley. Eventually they made it back to Bourbon Street, just in time for a late lunch. The sound of jazz engulfed the air as they walked past the many bars and restaurant. They settled for Parkway Bakery and Tavern, where they feasted on a traditional, and messy po-boy. After lunch, they continued enjoying the sights and sounds of New Orleans. It was well past four o'clock when they strolled into the courtyard at Pat O'Brien's for a taste of their world-famous hurricane. Amidst the drinks and conversation Castle could not refrain from staring at his wife. Kate caught him a time or two and finally reprimanded him, "Castle, you're staring, and it's creepy," Richard Castle made no apologies. "I'm not staring, I'm gazing," he explained. "And the distinction being?" she teased.

They stopped by the gift shop and purchased some hurricane drink mix to take home, then sat in the courtyard to munch on alligator bites and drank another hurricane. "So what other mysterious adventures do you have lined up?" he asked, as he slurped the last of his drink. "Well, some of those _mysterious adventures_ will remain mysterious, writer-man," she added with a wink. "We've got all week, so we need to pace ourselves," she sheepishly added. "Perhaps we should head back to the hotel, no sense exhausting ourselves," he coyly hinted. She laughed, leaned forward, and kissed him. "I could use a nap," she replied with a smirk. Before she knew it, Castle had slapped a fifty dollar bill on the table, grabbed their souvenir glasses and they were out the door.

The seven block walk back to the hotel took a bit longer than expected. Public displays of affection being a common occurrence on the streets of New Orleans, Castle stopped ever so often to steal a kiss. Once at the hotel, the elevator ride felt like an eternity. Kate led the charge, as they rushed into their suite. Their body heat was combustible, they could not get enough of each other. The kisses were hot and frantic, the desire was palatable; they never made it to the bedroom. She fell asleep in his arms, waking several hours later, among seat cushions and scattered clothing. He looked so peaceful and content; she could watch him sleep forever. Although she always ribbed Castle about staring at her, she too was fond of stealing gazes and watching him sleep. On those nights, when old monsters crept into her dreams and she awoke startled, the sight of Castle made her feel safe.

The next day they opted for a cheesy tourist adventure and took a two hour cruise on the Natchez Steamboat. Castle insisted, no trip to New Orleans would be complete without a trip down the Mississippi. Ever the child, Castle soon made friends with Debbie, the calliope player. But what made his day was the Captain's offer of a private tour of the wheelhouse. He purchased a souvenir captain's hat, and insisted on wearing it the rest of the day. She fell in love with him every day; she couldn't help it. His enthusiasm, his zest for life, the way simple thing filled him with wonder; this was the man she loved. Watching Castle that day gave her a glimpse at what life with a little Castle would be like; she would never lack for adventure.

By the time they made it back to the hotel they were worn out. By six o'clock, they were both ready for bed. They decided to dine at the M Bistro, one of the hotels, restaurant and call it an early night.

CHAPTER 14

She managed to untangle herself from his embrace without waking him. Finding one of his tee shirts, she slipped into it and quietly proceeded to look for his gift. They'd had a couple of wonderful days, days about them. No murder, no interruptions, nothing but mindless fun and enjoyment. They were good days. In those stolen moments, as she watched him sleep, her heart overflowed with adoration and gratitude. She was grateful to have found this wonderful man that loved her unconditionally. She looked in her bag and pulled out the blank card that that tortured her for days. A card that had remained empty, as she searched for words, but at that moment she could have written volumes.

She took the books out of her suitcase, and got everything together. She then placed the gift on the bed and attached a bright orange sticky that read, " _Clue #2:_ _It's all about us_. _Always_ " A few minutes later, as she exited the bathroom, she saw Castle, sitting on the bed, combing his rumpled hair out of his eyes, yawning and gazing at her. "Is this for me?" he asked, rhetorically. Kate walked towards the bed, sat next to him and nodded.

He loved presents. Castle took the gift and placed it on his lap, looked at Kate and started to open it. Inside the box he discovered a perfectly wrapped gift. He removed the package, and ripped into it. As he tore away the paper he found three small books and a card. The unopened card was soon relegated to the side. He pulled out each book, finding a three book, first edition set of _Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang_ by Ian Fleming. Castle stared at the books, delighted but somewhat bewildered.

He loved Ian Fleming, mostly for James Bond. After all, Casino Royal had inspired him to become a writer. Ian Fleming had only written three none Bond books and this was the only children's story. The other two were none fiction, _Thrilling Cities_ , and _The Diamond Smugglers_. But _Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang?_ Well, they were first editions, and he had been known to collect rare books. "Kate, I love it. First editions, and the original three book series; thank you. I know they only published it in three books once. These are awesome."

She had written the card while he slept. Her heart had dictated her feelings as she watched him. He took the card and read.

 _Babe, what do you get a man that has everything, from lightsabers to a Ferrari? I wanted something that would have meaning to us. So, you are now the proud owner of a set of first edition Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang._

 _Ian Fleming wrote Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang after suffering his first heart attack. It was a story he use to tell his son, Casper. Before the third book was published, Fleming suffered another heart attack and died. But the story about the magical car, which he had reserved for his little boy, soon belonged to every child._

 _As a boy, Ian Fleming allowed you to discover a world of mystery and adventure. As a father, you shared bedtime stories, sometimes making up mysteries and adventures with Alexis. Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang will help you conjure up more adventures; with our child._

 _Always,_

 _Kate_

Castle was rendered speechless. She took the books and card from his hands, placed them on the bed and kissed him. The kisses were soft and gentle but full of promise. Still seated on the bed, a confused Castle took Kate by the hand. "Kate, what are you saying?" Castle pondered the look on Beckett's face, took a breath and continued. "Kate, I want nothing more than to have babies with you. I'm in - one hundred and ten percent, but I can't do it by myself. Not again. I need you to be there." Kate walked over to the dresser, pulled out the DOJ envelope and handed it to Castle. "I signed it while you were sleeping. I wanted you to be part of the decision, but honestly, the minute I heard the offer, I wanted it. I want to be a mom. I want the PTA, soccer, scouts, bake sales, field trips, homework, puppies and you; I want it all. This position will give this to us. If you're on board, once we're home I will accept the assignment. Richard Alexander Castle, I love you. I have loved you even before I met you; I've loved you my whole life. You are the love my mother spoke to me about; you are my one and done." She had tears in her eyes, the truth behind the words pulling emotions Katherine Beckett always hid. Richard Castle had made hiding her feelings an impossibility.

They were both emotionally spent. Castle took his wife in his arms and kissed her. Soon the tee shirt was discarded, followed closely by his boxers. She could not get enough of him, the urge to have him close overwhelmed all her senses. She whispered his name, demanding and urging him on. He hungered to worship her body and grant her every desire, and he did. When the tables were turned, she ached to return the favor. She took her time. She kissed him and stroked him, watching his face contort as pleasure reached its apex. Hours later, they laid in each other's arms, sated and relaxed. Kate had found that one spot between his chest, shoulder and neck where she fit perfectly. She rested her head in that spot, letting the stillness envelop them. The silence was broken when a drowsy Castle postured, "Well, I venture to say that was one flawless practice session." She'd been off the pill for two weeks, but she'd share that with him later. For now, Kate simply enjoyed making love to her husband.

CHAPTER15

That evening while Kate showered, Castle called on Caroline, the ever so eager concierge, to secure reservations at Antoine's. The restaurant has been a New Orleans institution since 1840 and is known to have world class French-Creole cuisine; Kate would love it. Castle was not going to make it easy on Caroline, he wanted to reserve a private dining room and he wanted it tonight. His next call was to Tiffany's. By the time Kate exited the bathroom Castle had executed plans worthy of an invasion. Wrapped in a fluffy robe, Kate took one look at Castle and immediately knew he was up to something. "What have you done, writer-man?" she quipped. Castle sat back, and nonchalantly added, "Nothing. But, did you happen to bring a nice, dressy, thing-a-ma-gig to wear? Kate looked at Castle, attempting to read his expression and answered, "If by thing-a-ma-gig you mean a dress, the answer is yes. Why?" "We're going to dinner, you're going to need it. A car will pick us up in an hour." He jumped in the shower as Kate went about dressing. She could hear him whistling, and could swear he was whistling the theme to _Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang_.

Castle dressed, took his jacket and walked out to the sitting room. Kate was still working on her hair, and he took advantage of her preoccupation to call Caroline and confirm all was ready. "Mr. Castle, the Tiffany's delivery just arrived. Should I have it taken upstairs?" an excited Caroline inquired. "No, if you don't mind, please give it to the driver and have him pass it to me at the restaurant. Make sure he knows my wife can't see it," instructed Castle. Caroline laughed and added, "Mr. Castle, I feel like an operative in one of your Derrick Storm novels." "Well, let's just hope the mission goes off without a hitch," added a delighted Castle.

When Kate stepped out of the bedroom, Castle gaped in wonderment, having to remind himself to breath. Kate Beckett was a sight of beauty and elegance. She wore a stunningly simple, royal blue, short evening dress, and five-inch Christian Louboutin heels. Her hair flowed loosely, with soft curls cascading at the shoulders, her makeup was subtle, her eyes glowed with the shimmer of smoky gray eyeshadow, and her long lashes mesmerized him. But her lips gave him pause to wonder if he truly wanted to leave that room. Those red lips were hypnotic. He caught himself gasping as he stared at his wife and murmured, "You look stunning." She grabbed her clutch, walked towards a glaring Castle, straighten his tie, kissed him on the lips and smiled. "Well, wow me writer-man," she said with a laugh.

As they made their way through the lobby Castle could feel all eyes on his wife. He never tired of watching other men envy his luck; his wife was gorgeous and he knew it. They walked towards the waiting car and were greeted by a tall, thin young man, wearing a black suit, "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Castle, my name is Pearce and I will be your driver for the evening."

The restaurant, located on St. Louise Street was less than a five minute drive. Occupying the corner of St. Louise and Royal since 1868, the old style architecture, with its wraparound wrought iron balcony made it a transformational sight. Kate was overjoyed when they pulled up in front of Antoine's; she could hardly contain herself. As Castle exited the backseat, Pearce handed him a small box, which he quickly placed in his pocket. "Sir, just call Caroline when you wish to be picked up and I will be here within five minutes."

Castle was not sure how Caroline managed it, but when they entered they were escorted to a private dining room. Walking through the restaurant was like being transported to a bygone era. There were antiques and artifacts displayed on ever wall, covering every inch. The walls were vibrant and the décor elegant, the restaurant encompassed two floors and held several large dining areas and numerous private dining rooms. The Castles would be dining in the Tabasco Room, recently renamed after Mr. Paul McIlhenny of the famous Tabasco family, and a longtime customer. The room is painted tabasco red, and there's a fireplace with a large, gold framed mirror hanging above it. Portraits and memorabilia decorate the walls, and the single table in the middle made it a perfect spot for an intimate diner.

"Castle, you've out done yourself. How did you manage these reservations?" a delighted Kate voiced. With a grin as wide as that of the _Cheshire cat, Castle stated, "I have people… after all I am a somewhat world famous author." Kate laughed, leaning over to kiss him and whispered, "Caroline?"_

 _Castle had planned everything to the last detail. He had ordered the signature five course menu, champagne and a special wine during the main course. The first course of Pommes de Terre Soufflés, translated to wonderful fried puff potatoes. The second course, was a trio of shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters Rockefeller. The third course was creole gumbo. By the time the fourth and main course came around they were both stuffed; but the sight of grilled Pompano filet, stuffed with crabmeat and sautéed in a rich buttery sauce made their mouths water._

Throughout the meal they sipped on champagne and later wine. They talked and laughed; at times they simply touched hands across the table and gazed at each other. While the table was cleared, and readied for the fifth course, Kate excused herself and walked to the restroom. Castle arranged for the house's special coffee to be brought after dessert; a special creation known as Café Brulot Diaboliques, or loosely translated, Devilishly Burned Coffee. It is hot spiced coffee with sugar, cinnamon, orange peel, cloves and brandy that is set ablaze at your table; no way was Castle leaving without witnessing that spectacle.

Kate returned to a beautiful dessert of vanilla ice cream, served on a toasted meringue shell and drizzled with chocolate fudge. Not only was it pleasing to the eye, but it was equally as tasty to the pallet. "Babe, this has been a wonderful evening. Everything was amazing. Thank you." "Kate, if you'd let me, I would do this for you every day. I love you Kate, and nothing pleases me more than to make you happy." Kate giggled as she munched on a piece of the meringue shell adding, "If we ate like this every night, we'd weigh five hundred pounds." "More to love," cracked Castle.

There was a soft tap at the door as the wait staff entered to clear the table and prepare the coffee. The waiter placed a large silver tureen in the middle of the table, and proceeded to set the concoction of orange peel, cloves, sugar, spices, cinnamon and brandy on fire. Kate watched with amazement, and leaned slightly back as the waiter stirred the mix with a silver ladle. The blue flams were incredible, the aroma intoxicating. The waiter poured the flaming liquid onto the table cloth, encircling the burning blend. Kate marveled at the artistry, Castle admired the pyrotechnics. After a few minutes, the waiter poured coffee into the burning mix, taming the flames. The still flaming coffee was than ladled into two cups and served. A wonderful ending to a delightful evening, or so Kate thought.

The staff returned a few minutes later, topped off their cups and retrieved the coffee making apparatus. While she sipped on her coffee, Castle stood and moved his chair closer. He pulled the iconic blue box out of his pocket. She put her coffee down, and turned to him. He was in awe of this woman; at that moment the look in his eyes took her breath away.

"Castle…" Rick placed the box in front of her and nodded for her to open it. She pulled the lid off the box and exposed a velvety second box, she pulled it open to find the most amazing platinum necklace, with a diamond solitaire. It was delicate, and absolutely beautiful. "Oh my God, Castle…," whispered Kate. "Kate, I need you to know you give me meaning." Kate placed her arms around his neck, brought him close and somberly said. "Babe, I don't need diamonds to know how much you love me. You have made my life extraordinary, all I need is, _"…_ _the warmth of your smile and the strength of your embrace."_

"Kate, were I to take my last breath this very minute, I would die a happy and content man. You have fulfilled all my fantasies and completed my life." Kate leaned in and kissed him; a light and tempered kiss that expressed the tenderness of her love. When they parted, he pulled an envelope pout of his jacket and placed it next to her. She picked up the envelope, and proceeded to read the letter he'd written.

 _My Darling Kate,_

 _Seldom do I find myself at a loss for words, but as I sit here in the middle of the night, watching you sleep, my emotions overtake all other senses._

 _Before I met you, I had lost all sense of direction. I was aimless and without purpose. Alexis and mother kept me going; but I was adrift. Then, I met you, and you brought me purpose. My vows remain true today and always. "You have made my life extraordinary… you are the joy in my heart."_

 _Not long ago, I read a book, The Comet, by Lucas Scott, and found these words. Words that resonated. Where my words failed, Scotts' words flourish. So I will borrow them, to give to you._

 _ **"It was a comet. The boy saw the comet and he felt as though his life had meaning. And when it went away, he waited his entire life for it to come back to him. It was more than just a comet because of what it brought to his life: direction, beauty, meaning. There are many who couldn't understand, and sometimes he walked among them. But even in his darkest hours, he knew in his heart that someday it would return to him, and his world would be whole again... And his belief in God and love and art would be re-awakened in his heart. The boy saw the comet and suddenly his life had meaning."**_

 _ **-Lucas Scott (one Tree Hill)**_

 _Kate, you are my comet._

 **EPILOGE**

Once they returned home, life was a whirlwind. Kate accepted the DOJ offer, bringing along Ryan and Esposito. The position included a sizable pay increase and Ryan accepted immediately. Esposito accepted, adding Beckett would kill Castle without him. He was also promised an electronic murder board, like the one Agent Shaw had. They spent eight months recruiting and setting things up; they were currently working their first two cases.

Alexis had been in full wedding mode, but was soon overwhelmed. The August wedding date had been scrapped after Castle hired a professional wedding planner. Today, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Alexis Harper Castle would marry Benjamin Elliott Taylor.

The New York Public Library had been majestically transformed. The elegant landmark had turned out to be the perfect location. Castle's longtime friend, the Mayor would perform the ceremony. Everything was perfect; even Meredith was on her best behavior. Alexis had insisted on keeping it small, and with just family and close friends, the best they had managed was one hundred and sixty seven guest, including Kate's aunt Teresa.

The ceremony was being held at the Library's, Astor Hall, a regally large and breathtaking room. The white marble entranceway provided the perfect backdrop. After the "I do's," the guests would be led, by a trail of tea-light candles to the equally stunning, Celeste Bartos Forum. Covered by a gorgeous 30-foot-high glass saucer-domed ceiling, the room was breathtaking. It provided the perfect setting for the perfect evening.

Ten minutes before the ceremony, to the soft melody of Claire De Lune,an usher escorted Martha to the front, closely followed by Benjamin's parents. As dictated by tradition, the bride's mother would be the last person seated; Alexis had insisted Kate and Meredith be escorted to the front together.

It was a formal affair. Paige was the Maid of Honor, and Ben's two sisters served as bride's maids. Ben's best friend, Henry had flown in from Michigan, to stand by his childhood buddy as Best Man; two friends from law school served as groomsmen. The adorable Sara Grace, in a light violet frilly dress, played her role of flower girl to a tee, and Ben's nephew, Zachary, in a carbon copy of his uncle's tuxedo, was the ring bearer. At the front, sporting a perfectly tailored tux, Ben looked pale and nervous as he tugged at his tie. Dressed in a picture-perfect black tuxedo, Castle paced waiting to walk his daughter down the aisle.

She looked radiant. The custom made Vera Wang dress appeared painted on; it exuded elegance and simplicity. The train cascaded effortlessly and was just long enough. Her red hair provided a strikingly beautiful contrast against the white dress. A bouquet of red roses adorned her hands. Alexis Castle made for a beautiful bride. Richard Castle was a proud father.

"Dad?" she called. "Hey, pumpkin, you look beautiful. Ben is a lucky man," a weepy Castle barely managed. "I love you daddy. Thank you for everything." Castle took his daughter by the hand, gently kissed her cheek and said, "Well, are you ready?" Alexis gave his arm a squeeze, and nodded.

He had one last surprise for her. With the help of Ryan and Esposito, Castle had tracked down Alexis' violin teacher, Dylan Fulton. As a teenager, she had taken him to task when he had grown suspicious of the young, handsome tutor. She had felt betrayed when he secretly conducted a background check on him. He had felt responsible, when a short time later she had abandoned the violin. Dylan was now a full-time professor at Julliard. With his help, and Ben's okay, Castle arranged for the Julliard Student Orchestra to play Pachelbel Canon in D Major as he walked his baby girl down the aisle.

The signal was given and the orchestra commenced. The guest stood, as the bride, tightly holding on to her father's arm walked towards her groom. The ceremony was simple, short and sweet. They had opted for a combination of traditional vows with a personal touch. After the exchange of rings, the Mayor declared them husband and wife. In his deep baritone voice, he looked at Benjamin and added, "Well son, kiss your bride!" Alexis and Ben kissed, then turned towards their guests, raised their arms in victory and danced out to "Love" by Matt White.

While the guests enjoyed cocktails, the bridal party took pictures. About forty-five minutes later, the music was interrupted. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please help me welcome, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin and Alexis Taylor." The room erupted in cheers as Ben and Alexis, sashayed in, to "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. As they made it to the center of the dance floor, Benjamin stopped and waved the crowd to attention. As a hush fell over the room, Benjamin took Alexis' hand. "My wife," he chuckled, "has no clue what I'm up to." There was nervous laughter from the guest, as Benjamin continued. "Alexis planned this wedding up to the last detail. She has done so, while attending law school and maintaining perfect grades, I might add. Not only am I in love with her; I am in awe of her." Alexis blushed. "The song for our first dance, was my job. I asked Alexis to trust me. Aside from the chicken dance, I had carte blanche. So right now, I want to dance with my wife." Benjamin turned to Alexis and added, "Red, this song's for you." Just then, the DJ, played "She" by Elvis Castello.

Later, before the dinner was served, the guests were once again called to witness a special moment, as the bride's father escorted his daughter to the dance floor for their dance. You could have heard a pin drop as the husky voice of Louis Armstrong sang, "What a Wonderful World." There was not a dry eye in the room, as Richard Castle held his daughter tight and danced with his little girl.

Alexis and Ben departed around eleven thirty. By one a.m. the few remaining guests were out the door. Martha had headed home, but Castle and Kate stayed behind to tip and thank the staff. The service had been outstanding.

Twenty minutes later, only Kate and Castle remained. Having long lost his tie, Richard Castle sat next to his wife and exhaled. "Well, I think the evening was a success," he added. "Babe, everything was perfect. Alexis looked beautiful and I know she had a wonderful time." She leaned over, kissed him and led him onto the dance floor. "Kate, really, aren't you tired? We've been dancing all night; I can't feel my feet." "Just one last dance, I promise," added Kate. The DJ had left everything set up, she pressed the remote he had given her and the song began to play. After the first few bars, a rejuvenated Castle stared at Kate asking, "Seriously?" Kate smiled and replied, "Seriously." Castle laughed and twirled Kate in his arms as _Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang,_ played in the background.

The End


End file.
